Located directly adjacent to the Kororoit Creek reserve, Sunshine House is an upcoming project for the renovation and extension of an existing 1960’s bungalow.

Like most of the houses of the 1960’s era, the existing dwelling has no thermal insulation in the walls or floor, and poor solar orientation.  The brick veneer construction creates a particularly difficult problem with respect to introducing insulation to the walls, and glazing orientation becomes a significant issue without major revisions.  For the subject site, poor quality construction has also caused a fall of 80mm across the width of the dwelling; a significant slump not readily rectified with traditional re-stumping methods.

With a commitment to reusing as much of the original structure as possible, the problem of renovation becomes how best to save the existing structure, while bringing the home up to a modern specification, and providing additional living space. The design response was envisaged in two stages, the first being the rectification and preparation of the existing structure, and the second the construction of the new areas.  

For rectification, all of the brickwork above floor level and the heavy concrete roof tiles are to be removed.  Following this, small section steel beams are to be used to reinforce the existing floor bearers, which are then supported on new pile footings.  In order to support the new first floor level, two long steel beams are erected in parallel, being supported on new steel columns and pad footings.  The new first floor level utilises pre-manufactured trusses to minimise site labour.

Once rectification is complete and the new frame has been erected, a new metal roof, double glazed windows and new cladding treatments are installed.  New pergolas from galvanised steel tubes are added, which form an important part of the shading and landscaping treatments.