Cottage Treehouse

The site boasted an impressive 20 meter tall fig tree, a heritage-listed miner’s cottage, and views of both the ocean and Illawarra escarpment. The challenge was to create a home that encapsulated all these features whilst designing a modern addition that accommodated the needs of a growing family with a passion for sustainability.

​What resulted was a synthesis of old and new. The 1920s cottage retained its old-age charm from the outside whilst retrofitted internally to flow with the new double-story addition. A rounded void was designed to fit snugly within the triangular point of the site, and connects the three upstairs bedrooms with the living spaces below.

​An emphasis was on improving thermal performance, introducing as much northern light as possible and making use of cooling ocean breezes, whilst capturing escarpment views. Recycled and re-used materials from the original cottage were used wherever possible, creating an organic yet contemporary style.