Carterwilliamson updates an abandoned livestock shelter, transforming it into 'cowshed house', a single family home in glebe, an inner-city suburb of sydney, australia. the brick walled structure defines the edge along the urban street, enclosing a private courtyard in the northern part of the site. although the building was structurally unsound, the existing materials were left in place where possible and reused throughout the project, minimizing waste.
Keeping with its agrarian tectonics, large timber beams used to support the upper floor were left exposed, windows and doors are framed in wood, and a corrugated metal skin finishes the upper floor. these simple, robust materials kept the project on budget, and speak to its environmental and economic sustainability. the height at the corner pronounces the dwelling's presence in the gentrifying neighborhood. its prominent silhouette also serves to prevent leaves from the jacaranda tree in the yard from filling the gutter, and subsequently flooding the house.
Along this high roof line a clerestory band lets light and air enter the house, while their height assures privacy. inside, the living room, kitchen, and dining area are all open to one another and to the courtyard, which is separated by a large tri-part sliding glass door. the children's bedrooms, furnished with hammocks, enclose the property to the southeast, forming an L-shaped plan. the master bedroom suite occupies the upper floor above the kitchen.