The Custom Mad-designed Elaine’s Place is more than just a repurpose. The project has seen a former carport metamorphosed into a studio for a Londoner who ventures out to Sydney’s inner west on a frequent basis.
Elaine, the owner of the studio, came to Custom Mad with the thought that the former carport was ideal for a semi-permanent abode. The practice was asked to create a space that would act as a guest house throughout the year for family visitors, with the dwelling to house a photography studio and kids play area.
The overall shape of the studio itself has been directly inspired by the salient contemporary homes found in the likes of Glebe, Newtown and Erskineville, where Custom Mad Director Claire McCaughan often walks the streets. The overhanging sunshade roof provides a moment of delight and relief for those walking past amongst the mid-century dwellings that dominate the streetscape.
Inside a floorspace of just 25 square metres sits sleeping, eating and bathing spaces. Custom Mad were mindful not to compromise the size of the courtyard, which acts as an outdoor living space for both the studio and terrace, in which Elaine’s family lives. The house has a number of windows that look upon grand eucalyptus trees, enhancing the studio’s connection to nature, as well as the sky and city beyond.
Black steel cladding runs across the entirety of the facade, making for a subdued and strong visual amongst the greenery of the garden. The interior features a neutral material malette, with travertine floor tiles extending a sense of warmth, with a blackbutt timber door providing a relief to the steel cladding and inviting visitors inside the studio.
Working within the confines of a restricted space, Custom Mad have been able to transform a carport on a Sydney street into a cosy dwelling for a woman needing her own space when she makes her way back to the harbour city. Elaine’s Place holds strong connections to nature and its surroundings, with its contemporary character a welcome disruption amongst its neighbours.
