Building small cottage is not always built in simple design. This extension to a small cottage was transformed by Innovarchi into an exemplary architectural display of contemporary lines merging with the existing structure. Completed in 2012, the updated home is located in Balmain, Sydney, Australia. Covered with copper, the Balmain Archive was built as a response to a local guideline obligating new buildings to have traditional pitched roofs. The compartmentalized front part of the cottage features the private quarters, while the backside displays an informal, relaxed collection of seamlessly connected social spaces. The area closest to the entry now becomes the bedroom precinct and the back is a fragmented indoor/outdoor public space bounded by the allotment fencing. Access is via a central corridor that extends through the house right back to the rear gate. The new form branches out the existing small cottage, creating a fragmented indoor/outdoor public space with a storage room, a work studio, a barbecue area and a laundry room. The extension’s scale is reduced towards the back side, creating a beautiful folding shape that offers shade and helps the entire structure capture passive heat during the winter. Enjoy!
