Designed by Sheri Haby Architects, Gable House is an Edwardian timber cottage in Sandringham, close to the train station, shops and beach. Typical of many of the period houses in the area, a previous extension had added a room on the back incorporating the main bedroom, kitchen and meals area but this space suffered the ailments of a south orientation and poor room configuration.
Photography: Lisbeth Grosmann
The objective was to find how this space could be better utilized. The client was comfortable that they didn’t need a bigger house, just one that worked better. The design brief was to provide a spacious, light-filled, open plan area at the back that better connected to the backyard and corrected the lack of privacy between the main bedroom and living area. The existing house already measured 207 m2 and with a site area of 491 m2, the client was reluctant to sacrifice any backyard nor overcapitalize on the relatively small site. Demolition Plan
The period house at the front was retained, incorporating 3 good-sized bedrooms, formal lounge, dining room, and original hallway. The bathroom and laundry were refurbished and reworked to include a separate powder room. At the rear of the house, the new addition was kept as small as possible to retain the rear garden and meet Council requirements for site coverage. 2 gable roof forms were added, one each for the main bedroom and family area, to lift the ceilings and give a quality of spaciousness.
Photography: Lisbeth Gro...