Renovation & Reuse: Old buildings & character – Rob Norman, Symbiosphere Architects

Actively looking for ways to reuse what is already in place is central to environmental decision making.

In today's episode, we move on to our next sustainable design theme, Renovation and Reuse.

We'll investigate the renovation of a 1940s timber cottage located in Bundjalung Country in the beachside town of Fingal Head in subtropical northern New South Wales. Architect Rob Norman, director of Symbiosphere Architects, shares the inside story on his Bambury Bungalow project.

Today we'll learn about

• creative and cost effective solutions for retaining and reusing old buildings and materials,
• the unique character and joy that can be affordably created through reusing old buildings, and
• loads of other insights and practical information from Rob's years of experience.

Australian Architects can earn formal CPD hours by listening to these podcasts and completing an online quiz.

MORE INFORMATION

Find everything you need on the Renovation Collaborative website.

www.renovationcollaborative.com.au

• PODCAST Key points summary, timestamps and resource links
• FREE RESOURCES Transcript edited into clear Q&A.
• CPD Australian architects can find more information on CPD, and
• COURSES Eleven easy to read courses demystifying the entire home design and construction process.

KEY POINTS SUMMARY

1. Old buildings and materials have a unique character that is very difficult to obtain from anything affordable and new. They make a home so much more interesting, inspirational and joyful to live in, adding to quality of life, market appeal, and ultimately property value.

2. In recent years, interest and awareness of sustainable design have grown in the market, but unfortunately, knowledge has not. Social media, architectural journals and architect websites promote environmental design with glossy, finished project photos, but with limited information about what's going on in the background. These glamorous images support the assumption that environmental buildings are expensive and all about appearance.

In reality, a house that performs well from a sustainability point of view is not necessarily expensive or glamorous. Unfortunately, many genuinely sustainable houses do not photograph well, so they do not get the interest that they should.

The next points are about ideas for reusing materials out of your existing building. Rob had heaps of ideas, but these particular ones come up most frequently on a lot of old houses.

3. Old window glass and old windows can be retained and made safer by applying security film. Old window glass is thinner and more fragile than modern glass and breaks into sharp, jagged shards when shattered, posing a serious safety risk. The application of security film enhances the window's resistance to breakage and holds the shattered glass together.

4. Old timber T&G floorboards on their last legs can be retained with a thorough cleaning. This approach is beneficial in cases where sanding...