McMahons Point House

2019

The project involved an existing two storied Federation house, that had been renovated and added to in the 80s or 90s.

The owners have a large family and wanted to add a third floor to the house to provide an additional bedroom and a rumpus room for the children and their friends. The zoning allowed a building height limit of 12 metres, which allowed for a reasonable generous addition.

Council controls required wide setbacks from either side boundary, resulting in the visual impact of the addition barely visible from both street frontages. The colour palette for the new structure was a darker version of the existing building colour with dark door and window frames to recede the addition visually. The views from the rumpus room makes the space feel like a treehouse, with glimpses through trees to Lavender Bay, Luna Park and the Harbour Bridge. The views west give a panoramic view up the harbour.

Photography: Luke Butterley

Builder: JRFS Construction

Structural Hydraulic Engineer: Peninsula Consulting Engineers