historic restoration

project
project
historic
restoration
The quest to revive a heritagelisted
home, more than 120 years
old, becomes a labour of love for
its owner and architect
There was a continual
interest during the
construction period from local
residents and passers-by who
where delighted to see this
much-loved local landmark
being conserved and came
and looked at the work.
for, but not undertaken at this stage. First-stage work was not
to preclude later change.
The client’s brief for the project was to devise a method
of stabilisation of the building and to prevent future
reoccurrence of the structural failure and deterioration, as well
as provide advice on the conservation of the building fabric,
namely the plaster walls and ceilings and timber floors.
A plan also had to be developed for future additions and
alteration so that works undertaken in the initial conservation phase
were consistent with possible future additions and alterations.
The house was structurally stabilised and the stormwater
drainage was extensively upgraded. The fabric of the building
was conserved or repaired with similar materials. The kauri
floorboards were retained, where sound, and boards were
salvaged for repairs from rooms where there was extensive
THIS IMAGE The existing building had a character
and charm well known and valued by the
community who passed by. OPPOSITEThe home
was built by a stonemason, William Swindall, lived
in the home from 1885 to 1899. The stonework is
the architect’s favourite part of the project.
Originally, this Hunters Hill house, now called “Summerhill”,
was called “Wellwood” and is a listed heritage item, built in
the early 1880s. Its builder was a stonemason, William Swindall,
who is recorded as living in the home from 1885 to 1899.
Recently, the original larger property was subdivided,
allowing the heritage building to be sold separately from the
remaining part of the site.
“The existing building had a character and charm well
known and valued by the community. This character
captivated the owner and his family and led them to purchase
the property,” said architect Jean Rice.
However, the house, unoccupied for many years, was in a
dangerous condition and on the verge of structural collapse.
The external walls were constructed of two skins of stone with
rubble fill between and the internal walls are brick. The side
and internal walls were originally poorly bonded together.
before
Ground water had been discharging into the ground,
saturating the soil around the building and washing mortar
out of joints. This resulted in the two side (north and south)
walls tipping out at the top at the centre and separating
from the internal cross wall. The south side had tipped out
about 100mm at the top centre and the north about 200mm.
The water also provided a supply for the termites that had
inflicted extensive damage.
The urgent imperative was to stabilise the stonework, which
was in danger of collapse. The engineer advised that if there
was a wet period, the walls could move further and collapse
outwards. The heritage fabric was to be conserved with
minimal change. Additions and alterations were to be allowed
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borer and termite damage. The original plaster was patched
using traditional solid plaster techniques to match the existing
and matching cornice profiles.
“The approach was to have minimum intervention and
retention of the character and details of the place and its
patina of age. This led to a proposal to the engineer that a
method be developed to ‘stand up’ the stonework rather
than rebuild it. The engineer and architect in consultation
developed a unique method. The stonemasons were specially
selected because of their ability to undertake unusual and
challenging work,” said Jean.
“The stabilisation of the stonework without rebuilding required
development of an original methodology and new techniques.
The outer skin of the double-skinned stonework was in regular
courses but the inner skin was random. It would have been
extremely difficult to rebuild the walls and retain the character if
the stonework had to be dismantled and rebuilt,” she said.
The method developed was to gradually push the wall as a
whole into a stable alignment, as close to vertical as possible,
and to stabilise it there.
The footings and soil were investigated in detail. Sketches
were drawn of each wall, showing each stone and existing
cracks and movement. Locations were selected for a support
frame and for props and jacks (racking). The walls were then
temporarily propped using vertical soldiers packed off the
wall and padded, and with props at each vertical member at
an angle to the wall. The props were then adjusted to take
the load of the wall.
THIS IMAGE The front of the house has the typical cottage
plan with a central hallway and two rooms on either side.
OPPOSITE TOP The original external walls were constructed
of two skins of stone with rubble fill between. Through
the renovation, the heritage fabric of the home was to be
conserved with minimal change. OPPOSITE MIDDLE The
formal dining room with original polished floorboards.
OPPOSITE BELOW The nursery at the front of the house
boasts a fireplace.
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Loose material and projecting bricks from the internal cross
wall and ceiling were cleared out. Floorboards adjacent to the
side walls were lifted and salvaged and props were installed
to lift the roof off the side walls. Mortar was raked out from
selected stones to form lines of weakness.
Using jacks built into the racking, pressure was gradually
applied in succession to each prop to straighten the wall.
Once this was achieved, the exterior mortar joints were
repointed with lime mortar. The props were gradually
removed from roof structure and the wall reloaded.
The wall was then stabilised using helical ties to pin together
the two skins of stonework, the side wall and the cross wall
and the roof to the side wall from above. The footing and wall
below ground was progressively opened up and the joints
repointed and a mass concrete footing added adjacent to
the lowest footing stone in parts of each wall. The props and
racking were then removed and the wall repointed. Cracks in
the interior walls were stitched, with stainless-steel ties inserted
in brick joints at regular centres. The whole process was then
repeated on the other unstable wall of the building.
Conservation works could then proceed. Most important
was reconnection of the stormwater drains and installation of a
metre-deep strip drain on the uphill side of the house connected
to the stormwater. Ground levels were adjusted to slope away
from the building and towards the strip drain, and a waterproof
skirt added under the surface to also discharge to the new drain.
The front of the house has the typical cottage plan with a
central hall and two rooms on either side, all with fireplaces.
THIS IMAGE The cooktop has been set in the
location of the original fuel stove within chimney
which has been used for the exhaust. BELOW
LEFT The original clawfoot bath was resurfaced.
BELOW RIGHT The kitchen looks out to the rear of
the property.
This renovation is unusual
as there was little change
to the planning of the
building, as the owner
liked it in its original form.
This section has a steeply pitched hipped roof while the rear
has a skillion roof, both of which were reclad in prefinished
corrugated steel sheeting. The rear had dining and kitchen
spaces and service spaces. The original room functions were
retained and fittings replaced in a style compatible with the
character of the place.
Fortunately, the method used meant much of the internal
plaster survived and was able to be re-adhered to the wall.
The missing sections were patched with traditional multi-coat
lime plaster. Traditional paints were used and an early Victorian
colour scheme selected for the four front rooms. Period light
fittings were chosen and suspended from the ceiling roses.
The surviving French-polished joinery was not stripped but was
carefully repolished, keeping the original finish.
The garden was reworked, keeping the original formal
central front path and side driveway. Retaining walls were
added where needed and were designed to be distinct from
the original, but not dominating. Plantings were traditional
species and lawns.
PROJECT PARTICULARS
This project was designed by:
JEAN RICE ARCHITECT
Tel: 02 9029 5982
Mobile: 0430 082 440
Email: jean@jeanrice.com.au
Website: www.jeanrice.com.au
Involvement primarily with conservation and stabilisation works
This engineer was:
Hari Gohil of SHREEJI CONSULTANT
Tel: 02 9487 4889
Mobile: 0430 082 440
Email: mail@shreejiconsultant.com
Website: www.shreejiconsultant.com
Photography:
Kylie Hilton, HYPERION DESIGN
Tel: 0418 218 151
Email: kylie@hyperiondesign.com
Website: www.hyperiondesign.com
Hari Gohil of SHREEJI CONSULTANT
Mobile: 0407 948 970
This project was built by:
Peter Nardone (owner) and sub-contractors
STONEMASON:
Stonemason & Artist PL, Rick Timperi
Mobile: 0418 677 939
Email: stonemasonartist@ozemail.com.au
According to Jean, “The rich, warm exterior stonework is
my favourite part of the place. The formal front rooms are
my favourite parts of the interior, with the soft texture of the
limewash, the conserved French-polished joinery and the
original polished floorboards.
“This renovation is unusual as there was little change to
the planning of the building because the owner liked it in its
original form. However, there was major innovative structural
intervention to achieve conservation with minimal intervention.
“The client worked on the project himself and gained
satisfaction from bringing the place back from the verge
of collapse. There was a continual interest during the
construction period from local residents and passers-by, who
where delighted to see this much-loved local landmark being
conserved and came and looked at the work.
“The house is now leased as a residence but the owner
hopes in the longer term to establish a gallery or similar use
that would allow public access.”
after
Website: www.stonemasonartist.com.au
Flooring:Original kauri pine wide boards and new and secondhand
matching flooring restoration by JAG Flooring Rosehill
Landscaping: CDM Landscaping
Electrical: G.I Electrical – Killara
Plumbing: OPS Plumbing – Gladesville
Timber Supply: CBM Milling – Gladesville
General building works throughout: T.M. BUILDING – East Ryde
Walls:Original Sydney sandstone, dry-pressed bricks and solid-plaster
three-coat work
Air-conditioning: Natural ventilation
Kitchen: TM Joinery — Marrickville
Benchtop: Interior Marble — Silverwater
Cabinetry: TM Joinery — Marrickville
Cooktop: Set in location of original fuel stove within chimney which
has been used for exhaust
Sanitary fixtures + bathroom fittings: Original bath resurfaced,
Thermoglaze
Lighting: Selected antique fittings from Recollections
Windows + external doors: Original cedar and pine doors and
windows
Landscaping: CDR Landscaping
Entrance porch/awning: Original front verandah conserved, new
tiles laid within original stone edge, new Colorbond bullnosed roof
matching original profile, rear verandah new tiles with new sawn
sandstone edging
Front fence: Fence unchanged, new vehicle gates
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