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- East Lindfield Art Deco Renovation, Sydney
The Challenge
An Art Deco property in leafy East Lindfield on Sydney’s upper North Shore has proved it’s possible to preserve architectural heritage while embracing modern, sustainable design.
Initially tasked with a full rebuild, Red Cedar Constructions’ Garrett Clark instead saw the opportunity to create something truly unique – combining a modern Passive House design while preserving the original home’s stunning Art Deco façade.
“The client’s original spec to us was to do a knock-down rebuild, but after collaborating with the architect, Envirotecture, we discussed that we didn’t need to”, explained Garrett.
“We could save on the up-front carbon (from a full rebuild). We said to the client, if we can do it for the same budget as a knock-down rebuild, let’s renovate it.”
Having previously teamed up to build Sydney’s first ever Passive House, Red Cedar and Envirotecture set about producing a seamless blend of traditional and contemporary design, maintaining the property’s original character at the front and adding a spacious new extension at the rear.
Bondor’s SolarSpan® insulated roofing panels would provide the perfect solution to the complex challenges the team faced – ensuring high R Value energy-efficiency and allowing a frame-less install that would maximise height within council restrictions.
The Solution
Walking through the front door, the results of this stunning renovation are immediately obvious. The front preserves the home’s classic Art Deco features and transitions down the hallway to the light-filled, modern extension.
“We were able to keep the original staircase, which was great – nice curve, beautiful balustrading, lovely stained-glass window”, said Garrett.
“Upstairs, we kept three bedrooms, en-suite and bathroom – real traditional layout – and downstairs is another bedroom and a multi-function room that they’re using as a music room and gym.”
Having removed the original rear section of the house, the team created a striking rectangular extension characterised by its clean lines, expansive roof plane and high ceiling.
“These are four-metre-high ceilings. We had height restrictions with council, but by using Bondor’s SolarSpan® we didn’t need any framing, so didn’t lose height in that.
“It’s a single span all the way across that gave us the R Value and air tightness all in one go. And it took about four hours to sheet the whole thing, so it’s quick to install as well. It’s a great product”, Garrett added.
The linear aesthetic and clean lines are equally apparent from the outside, with the roof, gutters and solar panels concealed to create a sense of harmony with the Art Deco style at the front.
“The parapets are mostly hiding the solar panels because Bondor SolarSpan® is a low-profile product. With the 200mm thickness we’re able to keep the depth quite shallow, as opposed to having a pitched roof.”
The completed renovation is a successful merging of the old and the new, seamlessly blending with the heritage streetscape while adding the thermal efficiency and liveability of Passive House design.
Manufactured in Australia by Bondor, SolarSpan® is Australia’s leading insulated roofing panel offering long-spans, low pitch and high thermal efficiency.
