Parry Street is an alteration and addition of a Federation brick house in Cooks Hill, Newcastle. The existing single dwelling had previously been separated into three separate tenancies, robbing each of the opportunities afforded by the site. This project amalgamates these tenancies back into a single family home, thereby restoring the building’s integrity and giving a quality of inhabitation back to the clients.

No additional floor area was added to the existing footprint. Minor internal alterations to the existing dwelling improved the planning, performance, flow and quality of the spaces within. The extent of demolition at the rear became a critical consideration for the project’s approach to heritage and sustainability. A simple veil of timber crowns the retained brickwork and new windows replace those removed.

This new southern roof increases the ceiling heights and carefully balances the pattern of the sun. Partially open to the sky the outdoor room provides apertures that reflect light back into the interior or shade the building in the summer afternoons.

This form is used to create playful moments of light and shadow throughout the year with openings that further articulate views and catch breezes for the inhabitants. This new rear habitable threshold means a strengthened connection to the backyard and an effortless transition from indoors to out.

The interventions at Parry Street demonstrate the role of design as a transformative process without necessarily being an additive one.