Helen Vaughan Architect in Highgate, South Australia, Australia | Architectural designer

Helen Vaughan Architect

Locality: Highgate, South Australia, Australia

Address: 14 North Terrace 5063 Highgate, SA, Australia

Website: http://www.helenvaughanarchitect.com.au/

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• Home improvement
• Architectural designer

22.01.2022 Here is short video about me and my work...

19.01.2022 10 years ago I completed the extension to my own house, and I still love it! The project involved a contemporary extension to a circa 1920 symmetrical cottage, comprising new bathroom/laundry, and open plan kitchen/dining/living room with deck. The extension has large windows and doors, below cantilevered canopies and eaves, thus capitalising on the northern aspect and providing an intimate connection to the garden, together with natural light and ventilation. Site features... have been carefully exploited to ensure that the addition is spacious and open, with a minimal loss of garden and existing trees. The original floor level is extended to the rear, allowing the extension and deck to float above the garden. The extension is of light weight construction with strip footing, allowing a cost-effective timber floor and deck whilst utilising the site’s subtle slope towards the rear. The new external walls follow the height and line of the existing building, abutting with a shadow line joint. The simple geometric planes seek to compliment, not replicate, the original building.

19.01.2022 The home is of Dutch gable Art Deco design built in the late 1930s. It is set on a large block, and the rear faces west. Through careful replanning of the existing house and the addition of 65 m2, the design accommodates the future needs of the client. The extension is located on the rear, south-western side of the block, allowing northern sun into the new kitchen/dining and living areas, and creating an interface to the garden to both the north and west. A newly created ...hallway with storage, through the existing kitchen, provides direct access to the new extension. The new kitchen/dining/living space is placed with a west and northern aspect to provide views to both the garden and future swimming pool. This orientation maximises energy efficiency through the north facing windows, which provide winter sun. Summer shade to these windows is provided by eaves, a pergola, and deciduous tree plantings. The living area has been stepped down from the kitchen/dining area by three steps which separate these areas by level, creating a feature in the house. The extension has timber glazing systems and a flat roof behind parapet walls in red brick matching the house. The western windows are shaded by a large permanent verandah. The existing house was left largely intact, and the existing lean-to laundry wall also built up to form a parapet wall at the same height as the existing house walls. The design allows a sympathetic combination of the new with the old, providing the best of modern facilities while maintaining the charm of the existing house.

17.01.2022 The brief called for an extension to the existing local heritage zoned gentleman’s bungalow that would be light and bright, despite the block having a south-facing rear aspect. The solution incorporates three rectilinear volumes of different heights inserted behind the historic front dwelling, which was retained and restored. Through a library area of bookshelves, a new gallery link leads through to the contemporary extension. Slit windows play with light on the ground. ...Corridors lead to subtly divided bedroom suites. The lower height gallery link opens onto the largest, high-volume living space. Filled with northern light from the courtyard, this space also enjoys southern views of the pool and rear garden. A third volume inserted into the living space comprises a computer nook, utilities and a music/dance/indoor-sports room that extends into the rear garden. The simple finishes of the interior palate comprise hoop pine, polished concrete floors and white walls, providing the perfect backdrop for the client to play with colour and texture through such mediums as art, wallpaper features, sculptural pendants and an eclectic, extensive book collection. The house caters for four children with different talents, from drumming to ballet and the martial arts. The light-filled spaces provide an opportunity for this large family to work and play individually or together in this bold extension. See more

13.01.2022 The photos here show the Kensington Gardens project during construction, the first image showing the house before works commenced with the existing 1960’s extension on the eastern side of the house. This extension which was poor in condition internalised two of the main rooms of the existing house, leaving them without natural daylight and ventilation. The extension is being demolished revealing the original wall of the house and window openings. The plaster was removed an...d brickwork restored to match the existing front of house. The extension are to the rear of the property consisting of kitchen / dining / living areas with northern facing windows and outside entertaining area. The rear lean-to extension was demolished and the area cleared ready for commencement of the site works. The photos follow the trench digging, preparation of the trenches with steel work ready for the concrete pour and the completed concrete slab. The next stage is the erection of the steelwork followed by the timber framing. The home is a sandstone and brick return verandah villa set on a substantial block. As a contributory item in a historic conservation zone, the original house had to be retained and the extension hidden from the street view. There was a 1960s extension on the eastern side of the property which was demolished, and the original house is being fully renovated. Although the rear of the block faces east, the new open plan living area extension faces north, capitalising on the northern winter sun and views over the garden and the pool (planned). The simple modern structure allows a sympathetic combination of the new with the old, providing the best of modern facilities while maintaining the charm of the existing house. See more

08.01.2022 This smaller project comprised of renovation of an existing 1990s extension that had become a little tired. The clients originally asked me to provide some concepts for a new kitchen; however, at our initial meeting it become obvious that the existing open-plan kitchen/living/dining area did not meet the needs of the owners and that some careful re-planning was required. By changing the layout and location within the existing space, to a galley kitchen style under the exist...ing bulkhead, a larger dining area could be created in front. This allowed the relocation of the living area to where the dining area was, and the provision of a window seat allows greater utilisation of the existing space. The draughty swing doors and small windows were replaced with sliding doors and large double glazed picture windows with awning windows above, giving the room a contemporary look. These, together with the new feature gas heater, provide a high level of comfort in winter. The new kitchen is contemporary in style, with Carrara marble tops and splash-back, two-pack lacquer finish. A splash of dark grey on the island bench ties in with the chimney breast to further modernise the look of the room. In the circulation spaces, a new wall creates a corridor and provides sound insulation between the children’s bedrooms and the bathroom, previously opening directly off the living space. The final result is a transformation of space, without adding on an inch, that now functions with utility and comfort for the clients, who can now entertain in style while the children sleep. See more

05.01.2022 The project involved a renovations and extension to a circa 1880 bluestone cottage, comprising new WC/laundry, bathroom, additional bedroom and open plan kitchen/living room with deck. The original cottage was very compact, and careful planning was required to fulfil the client's desire to have a bathroom with shower and separate bath, separate toilet and laundry facilities within the confines of the original rear bedroom.

05.01.2022 The home is a sandstone and brick return verandah villa set on a substantial block. As a contributory item in a historic conservation zone, the original house had to be retained and the extension hidden from the street view. There was a 1960s extension on the eastern side of the property which was demolished, and the original house is being fully renovated. Although the rear of the block faces east, the new open plan living area extension faces north, capitalising on the northern winter sun and views over the garden and the pool (planned). The simple modern structure allows a sympathetic combination of the new with the old, providing the best of modern facilities while maintaining the charm of the existing house.

03.01.2022 helenvaughanarchitect just got a web site, check it out helenvaughanarchitect.com thankyou Gilda Vaughan for doing such a fantastic job.

02.01.2022 Archicentre used my client Cath's extension in this article in the Advertiser.