Giant strides, small footprint
From Sanctuary magazine issue 9. Buy or subscribe.
By Judy Friedlander
Climbing a peculiar truncated staircase to an unexpected attic bedroom, one wonders how many more surprises there are in store in this tiny but character-laden Sydney terrace.
It’s that kind of house. How the owner/architect Caitlin McGee managed to create extra floor space out of the original compact footprint is a feat worthy of Escher or Lewis Carroll. The house is proof that lateral, or in this case, vertical thinking can create wonders.
Occupying a site of 121 square metres, the 1880s terrace has been transformed from a one-bedroom and one-study home with a cramped living area and outdoor bathroom/toilet, to an airy and contemporary two-bedroom and one-study home with an indoor bathroom/toilet with concealed laundry, and open-plan kitchen/living area.
“My philosophy was to try to maximise the functionality of the house without increasing the physical or environmental footprint,” says Caitlin.
“We only extended 1½ metres into the back garden and built to the boundary in a few places – for example, with the living and kitchen areas.”
A number of creative elements have woven their magic and seemingly expanded the house, particularly the judicious use of frosted glass windows and white paint, and a curved living room ceiling.
“The orientation wasn’t perfect with the rear living areas of the house facing south but we introduced two lightwell-style courtyards and a skylight that allows light in, and introduced lots of white surfaces,” says Caitlin.
The unusual triangular-step staircase, which Caitlin describes as “duck stairs” due to the waddle required when placing each foot on the alternating treads, draws much interest. “Everyone is intrigued by them,” states Caitlin.
She explains that they were a perfect solution for accessing the attic in a house with such limited space.
“We placed the stairs in the front room, which was originally an enclosed tiny bedroom, and not only succeeded in opening up the front of the house, borrowing light for the back areas, but opening up the top level as well,” she says.
“The stairs provide a decent hold for each foot without taking up too much space.”
Alternating tread stairs – more steps for smaller spaces
Where there is insufficient space for normal stairs, alternating tread stairs might be your only alternative to a ladder.
The treads on these stairs are designed to alternate in width between each foot: one step is wide on the left side; the next step is wide on the right side. Hence you must always use your left foot on the left step, right foot on the right.
Because they are slightly more challenging to ascend than conventional stairs, alternating tread stairs may not be the best idea for small children, the elderly or the physically challenged.
A step on an alternating staircase requires less space than a step on a full-width stair, so you fit around one and a half times as any steps on the same staircase. The slope of alternating tread stairs can be as high as 65 degrees, whereas standard stairs are almost always less than 45 degrees.
In Australia, all staircases must comply with the Building Codes of Australia (BCA). Unconventional staircases like Caitlin McGee’s take a little extra effort to gain approval. Caitlin explains:
“There are two routes by which you can gain approval through the BCA – the ‘deemed to comply’ route, and the ‘performance route’. The deemed-to-comply route is like following a recipe – if your stair has the attributes they describe then it’s compliant. The performance route is to allow more creative solutions that still satisfy the intent of the BCA but might not follow the recipe.
“I went through the performance route, and had to demonstrate that the stair complied with the intent of the regulations, which is basically safety and ease of access.
“From what I’ve seen, most councils in areas where there are tiny terraces like mine will accept this sort of argument if they can see that the stair is designed to be safe.”
Extra storage spaces have been cleverly included in the new renovation. The attic bedroom incorporates three cupboards under the roof diagonal: “Every leftover space has been used!” Caitlin laughs. Even the long bench seat in the kitchen lifts to reveal a deep storage compartment.
Caitlin is proud that her house now creates more electricity than it takes from the grid. The home uses around three kilowatt-hours per day. This compares with the average Australian home which uses about 18 kilowatt-hours.
The 1.3kW photovoltaic system has produced an average of 5.4 kilowatt-hours per day since installation, meaning that the house operates as “carbon positive”. The solar hot water system and rainwater tank with pressure vessel, to minimise pump cycling, contribute to optimum energy efficiency.
Passive design features including double glazing to all new windows and external doors, added insulation and draught seals. No active cooling systems have been installed due to good ventilation through the internal corridor and attic dormer windows which create a chimney effect, letting hot air escape and drawing cooling breezes through the home. There is provision for the use of gas heating if needed occasionally.
Wherever possible, Caitlin and her builder, Eddie Homsy of Eden Projects, reused materials from the demolition. All building materials were selected for their low environmental impact, ability to be reused and recycled, and durability.
Caitlin McGee is well-versed in sustainability principles, working as a research principal with the University of Technology’s Institute for Sustainable Futures in Sydney. Her philosophy, she says, is to be collaborative, and this served her well when negotiating with the local council to place four solar panels on the front roof.
The council’s position at the time was not to allow solar panels to face the street due to heritage values of the terraces and streetscape. “I had a good laugh with council representatives, saying that electricity cables out the front are far uglier than panels on a roof,” says Caitlin.
Caitlin says a compromise was reached when a decision was made to split the positions of the photovoltaic panels. Four were placed on the front and two were placed on the dormer attic roof.
She says it was a precedent for the council but she would like them to consider changing the rules in the interests of promoting renewable energy.
Being her own client was “unfettered and fun” says Caitlin. She enjoyed a close and fruitful working relationship with her builder and relished the chance to put a lot of her ideas into practice. “It really made me a lot more considered and has resulted in a house that I am proud of.”
