rosalie development

We try to reduce waste and costs by reusing as much of any existing building’s structure as feasible. Creative solutions for reuse can also result in reducing Local planning constraints, and add a marketable history to a development.

This project started with a west facing 1970s three storey block of nine flats, which had low ceilings, small rooms and no solar orientation, typical for that period of budget developments. The client brief asked for the creation of two new townhouses over the existing car park, and to reconfigure the existing nine flats into another three townhouses.

Our design resolution resulted in removing the existing asbestos roof and the compete third floor excluding the southern end external wall. The second floor internal walls were also mostly removed and some comparatively minor alterations were made to the ground floor to open spaces. We were able to retain the ground and first floor concrete slabs, most of the external walls up to second floor ceiling height, and most of the ground floor internal walls.

The new townhouses have a third level loft overlooking the living area below. The new roofs were cranked and kicked up to the north to allow winter sun into the first floor living areas and lofts. The staircases were also located to allow natural to reach ground floor.