Sorrel Street House, QLD Home, Australian Contemporary Residential Building, Architecture Photos
Sorrel Street House in Paddington, QLD
Queensland Real Estate Redevelopment, Australia – design by Shaun Lockyer Architects
25 Apr 2019
Sorrel Street
Design: Shaun Lockyer Architects
Location: Paddington, QLD, Australia 

Sorrel is a progressive extension and alteration to a small cottage on a sloping site in Paddington. The project explores the juxtaposition between historical context and contemporary architecture within a broader subtropical paradigm. In a somewhat controversial decision, the call was made to “leave well enough alone” and make a clear distinction between the small original cottage and the new work, keeping their respective personalities distinct. The materials used are in stark contrast to the remnant cottage with a dominant use of concrete offering a deliberate counterpoint to the vernacular.
Behind the facade, and for reasons relating to limited mobility of one of the client’s children, the design was concieved about how to create a predominantly single-story house on a sloping site. To this end, a discreet, contemporary pavilion was added to the north of the cottage, allowing the new work to create a false topography and permitting the main living spaces to flow out to the level garden.

The result was a provocative outcome with a distinct juxtaposition between what was and what is. There is a clear dialouge between tw...