Located in inner-west Sydney, this is a new separate residential dwelling and garage built to the rear of an existing house. It has its own visual identity and can be accessed independently from the rear lane that it fronts. The project was approved under the new ‘Granny flat’ legislation introduced by the New South Wales Department of Planning in 2009 that enables small, separate dwellings to be provided on residential blocks.

The building accommodates a self-contained dwelling including downstairs living/kitchen space, with combined bedroom/laundry behind. Upstairs, a loft bedroom is connected to the main space, providing a sense of space and volume to a small-scale project with a floor area of approximately 60sqm.

As the building is physically separated from the original house, the architect decided to give the building its own character, rather than mimic the architecture of the existing Californian bungalow. The result is a positive addition to the original house, the streetscape and broader public space. It is hoped that this project will be seen as a small example of the many housing options available for the future densification of our cities.