Image Credit : Simon Whitbread
Project Overview
A hidden sanctuary in Sydney's Lower Northshore, Stealth House is a sleek transformation of a 1920s semi-detached home in Greenwich, located on Cammeraygal Country. Set just one block from the Pacific Highway, this project creates expanded living space within a compact site and modest budget.
Positioned within a heritage conservation area, the design respects the home's historical character while integrating modern functionality. The rear addition is thoughtfully sculpted beneath the ridge height of the original structure, with an inset roof deck offering harbour views while screening sightlines from neighbouring properties.
A discreet upper level accommodates a master bedroom, ensuite, walk-through robe, and a secondary living space, expanding the home's usable footprint without increasing its physical boundary. The addition seamlessly blends with the existing architecture, preserving street-facing charm.
At the core, a sculptural staircase draws natural light into the hall, accommodates a bathroom beneath, and connects to the upper level. The reconfigured ground floor features an open-plan living area anchored by a versatile joinery wall concealing laundry and pantry functions.
Expansive sliding doors connect interiors to the landscaped garden, entertaining area, and pool, dissolving boundaries between inside and out. This project subtly transforms constraints into opportunities, creating a contemporary, graceful retreat that serves as the family's new social centre.
Project Commissioner
Project Creator
Team
Adriano Pupilli, Aoiffe O'Kelly, Alex Volfman
Project Brief
The core concept emphasises minimal intervention, with a discreet upper-level addition that blends seamlessly into the existing architecture. This thoughtful approach respects the home’s street-facing charm while providing a master suite, secondary living space, and flexibility for a growing family.
Sustainability underpins the project through efficient material use and design strategies that maximise natural light via carefully positioned openings, reducing reliance on artificial lighting. A reconfigured open-plan ground floor enhances energy efficiency, anchored by a versatile joinery wall that adapts to seasonal and functional needs.
The indoor-outdoor connection is a central value, achieved through expansive sliding doors that link the interiors to a landscaped garden, pool, and entertaining area. Integration of stormwater with planter boxes and concealed elements, such as a sculptural staircase with a bathroom tucked beneath, reflects a commitment to ecological and spatial efficiency.
Stealth House embodies a philosophy of treading lightly—balancing heritage, sustainability, and contemporary living.
Project Innovation/Need
The Stealth House exemplifies heritage-sensitive suburban renovation through strategic multi-functionality. Every design element serves multiple purposes - the set-in first-floor deck captures harbour views while preventing overshadowing of neighbouring properties.
The sculpted roof form respects and complements the original structure without overwhelming its heritage character. This approach transforms contextual constraints into opportunities, creating expanded living spaces within unchanged boundaries. The project offers a reimagined framework for compact suburban living that respects historical context while meeting modern needs.
Design Challenge
The primary challenge of Stealth House was the delicate balancing act of meeting the client’s brief for expanded living spaces for a growing family while respecting the constraints of a heritage conservation area.
The design was required to fulfil modern functional needs, such as increased space, privacy and optimised views, while adhering to strict regulations regarding the retention of original building elements visible from the streetscape. Managing the client's desired spatial requirements and functionality within budget, all while ensuring compliance with heritage conservation controls, required strategic integration and adaptive reuse of contemporary design with the heritage structure.
Sustainability
The design of the Stealth House prioritises sustainability in several key areas. The project focuses on energy efficiency through solar shading, strategic window placement, and natural ventilation to minimise reliance on artificial cooling. Materials were selected for their longevity and low environmental impact, with a focus on local sourcing where possible. Reclaimed bricks were incorporated in new construction to minimise waste going to landfill.
The design maintains the existing footprint with only nominal increases to impervious areas, preserving stormwater detention capabilities while repurposing existing footings and substructure. By re-purposing much of the original structure, the need for new materials is dramatically reduced. The selection criteria for new materials emphasise longevity and environmental responsibility through low-maintenance fibre cement and Colorbond cladding.
FSC-certified Blackbutt battens provide both low carbon impact and contextual integration. Water management features include a rainwater irrigation system complemented by increased planting and soft scaping throughout the site. The vegetated roof deck strengthens biodiversity opportunities for local flora and fauna, completing an approach that balances resource efficiency, material durability, and ecological considerations.
Architecture - Residential - Constructed
This award celebrates the design process and product of planning, designing and constructing form, space and ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, and aesthetic considerations. Consideration given for material selection, technology, light and shadow.
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