Expertly reimagined by sustainability-focused Pedersen Architects and executed by Armstrong & Co Projects, the unassuming façade of 74 Darley Street Newtown opens to an expanse of contemporary class.
What was a single-storey, two-bedroom dwelling lacking in the natural light and open living spaces so dear to modern sensibilities is now a jewel box of a home. Deceptively spacious, its intelligently optimised layout now contains four well-sized bedrooms, three designer bathrooms, and an expansive open-plan living and dining area, all appointed to the highest standards of modern luxury.
Walking through the front door, this sense of space and light is striking. Wrapped in floor-to-ceiling glass with a stunning garden lightwell and oversized skylight, the open-plan living area effortlessly flows to the lush backyard.
The designer kitchen features elegant stone benchtops, a huge six-burner gas oven, a walk-in pantry, and a mirrored splashback reflecting the greenery of the lightwell sitting opposite. Suspended slab concrete floors seamlessly flow to the alfresco deck area, complete with outdoor kitchen fittings for entertaining.
On the opposite end of the ground floor in the original part of the home, sits a comfortable bedroom bathed in natural light and a high-end family bathroom with combined laundry. “We did everything we could to retain the front part of the house. We’ve renovated it, but the brick walls have remained, not just because they were a perfectly good existing structure, but also to retain the Newtown streetscape,” says James Pederson.
Upstairs, the attic space has been extended the full length of the home and now contains three more bedrooms and two bathrooms. With highlight windows cleverly peppered throughout, the northern sun makes its way into every room of the home.
Beneath the sophisticated interiors of the home lie intelligent, eco-friendly energy solutions, from an air-impermeable membrane to insulated suspended concrete slabs to retain heat in winter and cool the home throughout the summer months, and a Dantherm heat recovery system to provide continuous clean air without losing the heat. These fixtures are central to James Pedersen’s design philosophy of “creating ecologically sustainable and affordable buildings, with a focus on energy efficiency and reusing existing structures” and solving the issue of air leakage draughts faced by so many older Australian homes.
An often-overlooked aspect of architecture and construction is the carbon footprint of building new; “When you consider that the carbon emissions of constructing a building are equivalent to about 40 years of use, it certainly can’t be ignored,” says James. It’s why he strives to use as much of the existing structure and materials as possible, saving not only the cost of renovation itself but significantly reducing the cost to the environment.
Meticulously reconfigured to maximise winter sunlight, summer breezes, and indoor-outdoor connectivity, 74 Darley Street harmoniously balances sophisticated contemporary aesthetics, ecologically sustainable design, and intelligent energy solutions without compromising Newtown’s eclectic and history-rich streetscape.
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