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Heritage Restoration and contemporary additions to Wollongongs oldest surviving house.
Heritage Restoration and contemporary additions to Wollongongs oldest surviving house.
Keera Vale House Restoration Australia
Keera Vale House Built in 1844 as featured on ABC’s Restoration Australia with Sibella Court, currently streaming on ABC iview and Netflix
Keera Vale House Digital Re-Creation
Final depiction of Keera Vale House after years of research by the owners Jen Dixon and Harold Cosier, along with historians, former residents and the local community..
Old and New
The new addition was design not to compete with the old, it houses modern amenities (laundry/bathroom/kitchen) allowed the old the be restored to it’s true original condition.
Modern amenity
The ambitious brief to fully restore the dilapidated “Grand Old Dame”, viewed fit for demolition by most, but romantically loved by their most recent owners Jen Dixon and Harold Cosier, earlier Internal alterations made during last ditch attempts to prolong the building existing (dual occupancy) to be removed, future modern amenities to be housed in a rear extension.
Views to the former workers fields
During the 60s the former site was heavily subdivided into suburban lots, the house remains on two large lots, The blank rear wall (to workers fields) was the perfect position for a modest addition which captures view to Mt Kembla and Mt Nebo which from part of the Illawarra Escarpment
Modern Extension
A detached extension connected by a thin breezeway to house modern amenities, Living (with double sided fire place made from recycled convict bricks) dining, kitchen, laundry, bathroom and Master bedroom with ensuite, The open plan living area has been designed to maximise views to back to the old
Detailed Hand Drawings
Hand drawn details were prepared as part of the construction approval process, it felt like the right this to do : )
Cameras Rolling
Keera Vale House featured in ABC's Restoration Australia series 1 Episode 6.
Verandah details
Iron Bark
The Star of Restoration Australia
Biggles
Over 50 years without balconies
Construction of the balconies and verandahs would project the facades convict bricks from weathering,
Meant to breathe
Deterioration of the original balconies left the facade was vulnerable to weather, previous owners quick fix attempted overlooked the building necessity to breathe, while creating a mountain of work to remove.
Balcony Construction
Existing footing helped to determine the width of the balconies (2m). Wrapping the building on three sides the balcony provides the original ballroom additional with space to move/mingle.
Window Header/Lintel Restoration
Numerous window headers/lintels failed over time (170 years), All were restored and reinforced with hidden steel lintels to last the test of time.
Resolving Matters
Resolving matters as they arise with the Owners, Structural Engineer, Builder, Brick layer.
Re-creation of the original balconies
The balustrade detail was unknown for some time, until the owners retrieved a high resolution photo from the Mitchell Library, taken half way up Mt Keria the house was a speck on the overall photo, however the quality of the photo allowed us magnify in enough to understand the detail.
Construction of Balconies
The balcony awnings remained a mystery until the very last moment, historically the awning soffit would have matched the pitch, however as the last of the concrete render was removed from the facade it revealed joist wall pockets that told a different story
Keera Vale House 2014
Plenty of work ahead
The New Owners Dec 2012
Jenny Dixon and Harold Cosier with children Harriett and Eli outside Keera Vale
_______gong architecture