Tsubo Niwa

On the land of the Gamaragal people.

Tsubo Niwa is a simple but densely detailed rear addition to a four room heritage listed timber cottage in a Conservation Area in North Sydney.

It is sited on a steep heavily vegetated slope uniquely located adjacent to the North Sydney CBD. The rear of the house forms an ‘L’ around a ‘Tsubo Niwa’ (small town garden) which is both an acknowledgement of the green band in which the house sits as well as being the focus of all new rooms.

At an ideological level, the new work is careful and minimal in order to respect both the scale and materiality of the existing. The small scale of the project led to the modest budget being able to be used to great effect for numerous carefully crafted details.

At a pragmatic level, the new addition replaces a previous dilapidated addition with a warm, joyful and outward looking space.

Project Team : Matt Elkan, Sam Horspool

Builder : Lighthouse  Building - Matt Adams

Landscape Architect : Even Spaces - Eve Valensise

Engineer : Mike Jefferiss

Lighting : Tovo

Photographs : Clinton Weaver

Awards || Publications

2022 MBA NSW Winner - House Alterations & Additions $550,000-$600,000 (Lighthouse Building)

2022 MBA NSW Winner - Best Use of Timber (Lighthouse Building)

2022 AIA NSW 'Residential Alterations and Additions' Shortlist

Houses Magazine - Issue 147

The Local Project, Project Feature - May 2022