Copa Came In From The Cold is an example of the possibilities for the renovation of poor performing Australian homes, part of a developing series of deep retrofits from Envirotecture. Celebrating the dramatic form of the original design was a key strategy, not only to control costs but also to limit waste.

The clients are a couple seeking their forever home on the fringe of Sydney. A blended family which can swell when all the grandkids arrive, the home needs to flex over time and still work for two. As keen environmentalists they spend much of their time focusing on the garden and its food production.

The existing home had a very strong, consistent design aesthetic which needed to be respected while also resolving the poor planning issues of the original design.

Photography by Jonathan Cohen, Jonathan Cohen Photography