Harriet’s House by SO: Architecture and Brickworks

With a petite plot of only 50 square metres to work with, SO: Architecture was challenged with creating a sense of space within the most modest of footprints. To add volume without overflowing the site, the only way was up. Set behind the cottage – connected to, but visually distinct from – is a new room, housing an open-plan kitchen, living and dining space. Though the footprint is concise, it rises into a double-height ceiling, turning the compact space into an airy cathedral, with the whimsical mix of materials – ribs of timber on the ceiling and an ascending ladder of pale Austral Bricks on the walls – lifting eyes and spirits.

Sandwiched between two-storied neighbours, creating privacy was a priority and a challenge for Harriet’s House. The resulting extension accomplishes this, peeking out from under the hood of the vaulted ceiling, and further sheltered by creative landscaping. The sloping site ramps up steeply from the back of the home like a protective wall and turns the view from the interior into a horizonless picture of lush foliage.

The whimsical mix of materials – ribs of timber on the ceiling and an ascending ladder of pale Austral Bricks on the walls – lifts eyes and spirits.

This wall of greenery is a key character right from the moment you open the front door, with the entrance perfectly aligned to deliver an unimpeded view of solid greenery through a corridor that takes in both the old structure and the new. The dialogue between old and new is further supported by the choice of materials. The brick extension is a nod to the original structure, while the inherent solidity of brick echoes the permanence of the original cottage.

“We wanted a product that we could use not only on the walls externally but that we could bring into the interior,” says SO: Architecture founding partner Liz Walsh. Bricks from the Austral Access range in the Ash colourway were the ideal fit, their pale blond hue reflecting light and lending an airiness to interior and exterior spaces. “I love how the material continuously flows between inside and out … there’s a harmony between the elements that has quite a peaceful impact.”

“I love how the material continuously flows between inside and out … there’s a harmony between the elements that has quite a peaceful impact.”

Yarra bricks in Richmond, a traditional red tone, have been used on the interior floors, extending up into the joinery and flowing seamlessly out to the patio. “One of the reasons we selected these bricks is because they’re made in Longford [20 minutes south of Launceston] and it was very important to us to have a product that was locally made,” says Walsh. Both bricks have impeccable sustainability credentials: the Austral Bricks Longford site has been certified carbon neutral since 2013.

Durability was another key consideration. “It was really important for Harriet that we provide her with a design that required very little maintenance, so brick was perfect. It retains its appearance over the course of its lifetime.”

Architecture by SO: Architecture. Build and joinery by Anstie Constructions. Landscape design by Playstreet. Engineering by Aldanmark. Bricks by Brickworks.