Every time I see a project that dared to transform a decrepit house into a striking, modern habitat, I say: “Well, that’ s an architect you can count on!”. Australian studio Benn+Penna Studio made two Victorian workmen’s cottages look like a remarkable duo of interconnected family homes in Balmain, a suburb of Sydney. The building geometries have been given a kind of freedom to wander across the block, while keeping a strong connection with its roots (this heritage area has several stringent planning restrictions). The coherence of the entire space was very important in order to make the two buildings coexist. Therefore, a consistent material palette – timber – was used. Treating the fabric as one added an economy of scale to what was a large project on a limited budget. Enjoy the gallery below and let us know if you enjoyed the project!
