Skylight House by Chenchow Little Architects |

PROGRAM: Alterations and additions to a terrace house

Architects: Tony Chenchow and Stephanie Little, Chenchow Little
Project Team: Janice Chenchow, Jenni Dang
Location: Balmain, Sydney, Australia
Builder Michael: John Projects Pty Ltd
Structural Engineer: Ruggero Benvenuti, Benvenuti S.C. Pty Ltd
Hydraulic Engineer: TJ Taylor Consultants Pty Ltd
Photographers: John Gollings, Katherine Lu

Number of stories: 2
Site type: Urban
Site area: 149sq.m
Building area: 186sq.m

Design, documentation: 36 months
Construction: 24 months
Completed: 2011

Awards:

2012 HOUSES AWARDS, High Commendation – House Alterations and Additions under 200sq.m
AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS, NSW CHAPTER AWARDS 2011, Residential Architecture Award – Alterations and Additions

The Skylight House inverts a traditional Victorian terrace house. The living rooms are relocated to the top floor due to better access to views and sunlight. The secondary bedrooms are placed on the ground floor.

Two fluid horizontal planes are inserted within the traditional envelope: one folding to form a ground plane that mediates the natural ground levels along the site; and the other one along the ceiling line which fragments and undulates to permit sunlight into the length of the building.

The ground plane has been cut around a central courtyard containing an endemic Banksia Integrifolia which, along with the sculptural southern facing skylight, brings light into the living, kitchen and dining spaces. These two planes act as spatial dividers as well as create a light filled, open fluid space unfamiliar in a traditional terrace house.