Designed with solar principals in mind, the Penola Street renovation and extension  fundamentally changed the liveability and program of the original Californian Bungalow dwelling.  The original dwelling included the living spaces facing the street, a small kitchen centrally located, with several unusable lean-tos fronting the rear yard; the opposite of contemporary expectations.

The single level modern extension added a second bathroom and full sized laundry, an updated kitchen and living space, and a new study / spare bedroom.  The revised layout focussed the living spaces onto the rear yard, while maintaining the original lounge room facing the street as a separate or quiet living space.

Continuity between the original house and the new extension was achieved internally through matched high ceilings, timber profiles  and colour.  In order to update the dwelling to a modern efficiency standards, high insulation factors, double glazing and appropriate shading were used for the passive control of the indoor climate.

The owners had a particularly bold vision for the internal cabinetry, which featured a mixture of laminates, timber veneers, solid timber, recycled glass benchtops, and patterned tiles.

Lofty and bright, the extension utilised an external structural pergola, allowing the deletion of the corner column in the new main living space, which in turn provided a very strong connection with the garden.