Australian Contrast

With a clear vision of what they wanted to create, Sydney based Those Architects set about designing a modern addition to a 19th-century heritage listed home in the rural New South Wales town of Armidale. The key to this project was the architect’s desire to ensure the extension not only created a clear link between old and new and the garden beyond but also emphasised and reinforced the connection to the dramatic sky this part of Australia is known for.

The result was a pavilion, clad in black timber to contrast with the existing Victorian-era house, that is, as the architects put it “unashamedly contemporary… anchor[ing] the building to the landscape, connecting the cottage to the garden, and the interiors to the sky.” In this new section of the home is the kitchen, living area and dining area – the perfect space for a growing family and for entertaining.

I love this type of project where the architects and client alike have respected the existing architectural language of a home but have also created a new vernacular, which, in this project,  is just as much Australian and authentic as the original historic cottage.

Story by Brendan Guy, follow him on Instagram MrBrendanGuy

Images: Brett Boardman