Castley McCrimmon Architects adds respectful and measured extension to Gilbert's Cottage
Neutral tones and glimpses of garden spaces define this extension to a 1870s cottage in Albany, Western Australia, revealed here exclusively by Australian studio Castley McCrimmon Architects.
Named Gilbert's Cottage, the existing single-storey home was renovated to contain three bedrooms and a bathroom, while a glazed corridor leads to an open-plan kitchen, living and dining room in the extension.
Castley McCrimmon Architects aimed to create a pared-back extension that complemented the appearance of the existing home while also nodding to the client's love of 20th-century modernist architecture.
The studio kept the extension's roofline slightly lower than that of the existing building, intending for it to "sit quietly" next to its predecessor.
"The primary objective of the extension was to bring the house into the 21st century by reworking the existing homestead as the bedroom wing and introducing a modest, contemporary living space to the rear that could support modern family life without overpowering the original structure," Castley McCrimmon Architect told Dezeen.
"By keeping the roofline lower, the original cottage retains visual and architectural primacy," it continued. "This approach reflects our belief that additions to heritage buildings should be respectful and measured, rather than driven by expression for its own sake."
Floor-to-ceiling windows offer glimpses of the garden and a small courtyard wedged between the extension and the main house, designed to offer the residents moments of pause while moving through the home.
"Moving toward light and landscape creates a more intuitive sense of flow and makes the spaces feel larger and more connected," said Castley McCrimmon Architects.
"In this project, glazing and garden spaces are used to clearly articulate the transition between the existing heritage fabric and the new extension, reinforcing both continuity and contrast within the overall composition."
Neutral tones were chosen for the interior finishes, including concrete floors, limewash-painted walls, and veneer walls and joinery.
Vertical brickwork forms the hearth of a fireplace and a skirting that runs around the interior and exterior of the extension, creating visual continuity between indoor and outdoor spaces.
"The interior palette was intentionally kept neutral and natural to create a calm, timeless backdrop that allows the architecture, light and landscape to take precedence," said Castley McCrimmon Architects.
"By limiting colour and relying on honest, tactile materials, the spaces feel grounded and enduring rather than trend-driven."
Other home extensions in Australia recently featured on Dezeen include a cottage extension with a curved timber ceiling and an extension with expansive rotating glass doors that open onto the garden.
The photography is by Jack Lovel.
Project credits:
Architect: Castley McCrimmon Architects
Builder: Nuform
Joinery: New Age Veneers
Bricks: Krause Bricks
Stone: CDK Stone and Eco Outdoor
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