Castlemaine House 4

The first stage in a late 1940s weatherboard house retrofit and renovation, the design brief is for a studio that is separate to the main family home and re-uses an existing stone retaining wall and concrete slab currently supporting a garage and carport. The studio design allows for varied uses over time – office / studio, guest room or independent living unit. This is a north-facing, sloping site: the north facing window allows for winter solar gain and is self shading in summer. The western verandah structure provides screening from afternoon summer sun as well as sheltered sunny northern aspect in winter with views over Castlemaine. Rainwater harvesting with tanks nestled to the site boundary enable gravity fed water to support food production in the lower garden. The new studio structure will incorporate reclaimed hardwood from the existing garage. This studio design incorporates a ‘loose-fit long-life’ strategy that can offer a flexible space and cater for changing family needs.