Tucked behind the typical single storey façade of an eastern suburbs bungalow is the delightful two-storey design of House 108.  With extensive external timber cladding, large windows and strong connections to outdoor areas, House 108 feels more like a New Zealand cabin than an inner-city house in Adelaide, South Australia. The owners of House 108 engaged Grieve Gillett Andersen initially to look at improvements to the functionality of the kitchen and a living area of their house. Over time it was evident that extra space was desirable to accommodate their growing family and the owners decided to upgrade the house rather than relocate.

A portion of new work was dedicated to addressing previous renovations that were poorly executed and non-compliant. The new layout of House 108 was informed by the day-to-day living patterns of the family, with a bag drop, visitor guest room, cellar, children’s play area and a number of outdoor entertaining spaces.

The design and material selection of House 108 was driven by the owners’ love of nature and outdoor environments. Physical connections to outdoors at the ground and upper levels drove the development of the design. Large sliding doors allow flexibility to extend indoor living areas to the covered outdoor deck. An external parent retreat on the upper level creates a space that can be used all year round and provides an element of retreat, as well as a visual connection to the garden below. Detailing decisions were driven by a desire to maximise views, light, and transparency through the home to outdoors. Perforated metal balustrades, open stair treads, glazed internal partitions all enable views of the gardens and light to penetrate the home.

The heart of House 108 is the central family area. From the outset, the clients’ brief revolved around this space with the arrangement, layout and finishes carefully considered. This generous central volume with large south-facing windows gives the house vitality throughout the year. The use of timber and scandi colours add warmth and interest. The kitchen space is now big enough for the whole family to cook, gather and socialise.

Work to House 108 involved carefully stitching new spaces into existing spaces. Given the complexity of the project and the legacy of the existing home, the project was executed at a very competitive cost. High-value items, such as the timber cladding and double glazing were offset by a modest approach to finishes and utility areas.

Our approach to sustainability for this house focused more on the long-term functionality and operating costs, rather than bolt-on energy systems. The owners’ modest approach to amenities and the size of spaces, meant no spaces are underutilised externally or internally. Other features include the double glazing to minimise heat loss due to the southern aspect of the house, the specification of sustainably sourced Pacific Teak from Western Australia and underfloor heating offset with power generation from PV cells.