Dulwich Hill Vaults House

Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson

DULWICH HILL VAULTS HOUSE

Benn + Penna Architecture

CATEGORY
Houses, Extension

YEAR
2020

LOCATION
Dulwich Hill, Australia

AREA
170 m²

LANDSCAPE
Arborliz

MANUFACTURERS
Vectorworks, Brodware, Monier, Mosa, NavUrban

LEAD ARCHITECTS
Benn + Penna Architecture

DESIGN TEAM
Andrew Benn, Rachel Stratford, Pouwel Wind

CLIENTS
Undisclosed

ENGINEERING
PMI Engineers

Dulwich Hill Vaults is alterations and additions to an existing freestanding cottage in Sydney’s inner west.

Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson

The project retains the existing house and introduces new living spaces in a structure to the rear directly connected to the garden.

The new additions are an augmented duplicate of the existing cottage and seem to hover above the concrete walls on delicate pilotis.

The existing and new roofs are connected by an akin natural terracotta colour and hipped roof geometry.

Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson

Within the new additions is three distinct spaces, defined by the truncated ceiling vaults above them – one is the living space, one containing kitchen and dining spaces, and the last is the study pocket.

Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Katherine Lu
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson

The purpose of the vaults is to demarcate the spaces without the need for physical walls.

The main entry is from the existing cottage, where you can see right through the house down a generous hallway.

Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Katherine Lu
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Tom Ferguson

Either side of this hallway are the private spaces of the house – bedrooms, bathrooms, and rumpus – clearly enclosed and tucked away from the rest of the home.

At the rear of the house, a concrete terrace extends from the living room, a platform for leisure activity. An inbuilt bbq and seat grow from its perimeter and creates a frame for a lush garden to grow behind over time.

Dulwich Hill Vaults House
© Katherine Lu


Dulwich Hill Vaults House
Section 01
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
Section 02
Dulwich Hill Vaults House
Ground Floor Plan