In the Sydney suburb of Glebe, an old cowshed was partially preserved and brought back to life by Carterwilliamson Architects to become a modern house with plenty of original character. The Cowshed House was a simple structure that sat on a small plot of land with roads on three sides. The positioning of the shed (hugging the southern end of the property) allowed for a private, north facing courtyard that essentially expanded the interior.

The open floor plan allows each room to flow into the next and giving the illusion of more space.

A row of clerestory windows wrap around the building bringing in extra light and a breeze, while allowing for privacy.
They had a tight budget to work with so they used polished concrete slabs for the floors, brick was recycled, and wooden structures were left exposed.

The layout was kept largely as it was found with the kitchen near the street corner behind brick walls. The dining room and living room continue off the kitchen.

The kids’ bedrooms are decked out with hammocks for additional relaxation.

The width of the structure was expanded by one meter giving extra space to the mezzanine bedroom above the kitchen.

Photos by Brett Boardman.

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