‘House in Stanmore’ by Sam Crawford Architects (SCA) responds to challenging site conditions—a flood plain, the roar of planes overhead—plus the need to future proof, and elevates these into opportunities for architectural expression.
Our client, a couple and their young son, asked for a light, bright and quiet house. They wanted a home that provides for a child with disabilities both now and into the future, and would also allow the whole family to age in place together.
An ageing extension, that did little to capitalise on the rare one and a half width block in Sydney’s inner suburbs, was demolished.
A new L-shaped extension elevates rear living areas above flood levels, establishes living/dining/kitchen areas as the heart of the home, creates privacy, while maximising the northern aspect. A glazed façade wraps this space, with deep overhangs and a west-facing brick brise soleil providing shade and privacy.
A wraparound concrete verandah extends into the north-facing courtyard and pool area forming a generous outdoor room. It functions as a seating edge to the garden, mediates between internal and external levels and enhances the connection to the landscape. A mural by a local street artist reinforces connection to the community.
The new living and dining spaces are arranged through varied ceiling heights, creating a sequence of ambiences. The distinctive butterfly ceiling—a slung curve - seemingly floats above the main living space. It contrasts with the adjacent dining room, glazed for most of its perimeter with a lower ceiling to create an intimate space, and projects into the yard area.
Inside, the living space is flooded with natural light: clerestory windows and a skylight emphasise the curved ceiling, washing it with northern light. Along the south side, a room length, north-facing skylight enhances the sensation of the floating ceiling, creating shadows that move across the southern wall like a sun dial. This choreography of light transforms the restrained interior into a dynamic, ever-changing environment.
A separate rear wing, featuring a garage, bathroom, laundry, and multipurpose room for cycle training and study, meets the rear lane - a functional zone which will comfortably and privately accommodate a future live-in carer, as required.
The original house at the front was altered to include two bedrooms, bathroom, en-suite, and a large separate playroom. A new attic bedroom and ensuite were created within the existing underutilised attic room. An existing stair was retained and altered to draw natural light into the centre of the house.
A textural recycled brick wall forms a sculptural boundary to the rear lane, enhancing the once unloved laneway, a civic-minded interface which reinforces the house’s connection to its urban setting. The undulating surface screens windows, introduces visual interest, and discourages graffiti.
A catenary ceiling to the living spaces is expressed on the rear lane. To the northern edge repeated columns, engineered from steel equal angles, support the roof and provide clerestory windows.
There is a respectful dialogue between old and new through careful material selection and architectural detailing. The client sought a calm and restrained material and colour palette, with a design that expresses itself through geometric precision and fine detailing.
Enhanced acoustic performance significantly improves liveability for a home under a flight path, offering respite from urban noise.
Sustainability measures include adaptation of the existing heritage structure, reducing demolition waste, extensive recycled brick use; north-facing glazing with deep overhangs for passive solar control, extensive cross-ventilation, skylights; extensive solar array and battery storage; rain water collection and reuse; certified low-carbon concrete; sustainably sourced and certified timber; and comprehensive insulation.
House in Stanmore embodies a harmonious balance between technical innovation and a flexible calming retreat. Structural elements are expressed as design features—the curved ceiling, cross-shaped steel columns, and concrete verandah. Versatile spaces accommodate the evolving needs of multi-generational living and ageing-in-place considerations, with tranquil domesticity achieved through a restrained material palette and a choreography of light.
The project thoughtfully addresses its complex urban context: it respects the heritage context while creating a contemporary extension that extends connections between indoor and outdoor, maximises spaces for family living, and contributes to the urban environment.
Our client noted:
"Our new home is beautiful but it is so much more than that. It is a calming, peaceful place. A sanctuary from our urban life, with its plentiful storage and restrained palette, we can bring some order and calmness to our busy family life. The light play throughout the day has been an unexpected delight. The courtyard focus means our time can flow easily between inside and the outside, with the central focal point of the teal-green pool and stunning mural."
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House in Stanmore
Gadigal & Wangal Country / Stanmore, NSW
Project Team
Sam Crawford, Jarad Grice, Héléna Short, Jarrod Ruchalski
Builder Build By Design
Consultant Team
Town Planner: Avenue Studio
Structural Engineer: Cantilever
Hydraulic & Civil Consultant: Partridge
Pool: KMD Outdoor
Landscape Consultant: TARN
PCA: BC Australia
Quantity Surveyor: QS Plus
Lighting Consultant: Architectural Lighting Design
Acoustic Consultant: Acoustic Logic
WSC: Ausflow
Council: Inner West Council
Photographer: Brett Boardman
Art
Poolside Mural – Nico Nicoson, artist
Ames Yavuz Gallery: Dining & Bedroom – Julian Meagher, artist; Gym – Karen Black, artist
