Rooney Street, Richmond

This project explores the layered relationship between heritage fabric and contemporary intervention. The existing Victorian cottage is preserved in its entirety at the street frontage, maintaining its original façade, veranda, and fencing to ensure the continuity of the established streetscape. By keeping the front of the dwelling untouched, the design safeguards the heritage character of Rooney Street while providing the opportunity for significant transformation to the rear.

The new works are deliberately positioned beyond the public realm, with a two-storey addition carefully contained within heritage sightlines. The roof form is designed in response to the heritage “envelope,” projecting sightlines from street level to ensure that the extension remains recessive when viewed from the footpath. This restraint ensures that the cottage continues to read as the primary architectural element, with the new addition revealed only in private garden and laneway contexts.

Architecturally, the extension establishes a clear distinction between old and new. A parapeted link mediates between the pitched roof of the existing cottage and the inclined contemporary roof form of the new structure, allowing each era to remain legible. The addition adopts a modern architectural language that is unapologetically distinct from the Victorian fabric, framing the project as part of an ongoing historical narrative rather than a direct imitation of the past.

The rear carport has also been reconceived as a two-storey garage, incorporating a home office above. Its design follows the same principles of clear articulation between heritage and contemporary expression, contributing to the layered composition of the site.

Ultimately, the project demonstrates a respectful yet forward-looking approach to heritage dwellings: protecting the historical façade while introducing a contemporary architectural response that enhances amenity, legibility, and the long-term adaptability of the home.