It’s great to see the old adage ‘no job is too small’ still holding relevance for even established architects and designers.
Small alterations and additions have paid the rent and put food on the table for new architects since the very conception of the profession, and they’ve often marked the beginning of illustrious careers.
They also nearly always lead to repeat business, either directly through the client, or through word-of-mouth and friend-of-a-friend type marketing.
Architects that recognise that their buildings are a tangible endorsement of their skills and professionalism can use small projects to great effect, and a new project from Sydney’s Studio Benicio is an example.
Recycled Garage is a 70sqm detached rear addition to a house in Randwick and consists of a double carport and an adjacent storage room.
It’s made from recycled bricks and steel beams, and has a flat roof with valley guttering.
While it’s not an overly complicated form of construction it is obvious the architect has still taken pride in the work.
The brickwork was sourced by renowned recycled brick depository, Brick Pit and chosen to complement the colours of the neighbouring jacaranda trees and their flowers. Horizontal cedar battens clad the face of the sectional garage and entry doors, both of which have been detailed to create a seamless façade when doors are closed.
The steel beams that run the border of the soffit have been left exposed to define the space and segregate the garage from the storage room.
While perhaps not yet an ‘established practice’ (Studio Benicio was only logged with the Australian Business Register in 2014 and has only a handful of completed projects under its belt), its director Ian Bennett is an experienced designer both locally and abroad.
Recycled Garage shows that Bennett has faith in the ability of small projects to bring in further business and that no project is too small for architects looking to get their foot in the door. Or maybe he just has rent to pay and mouths to feed?
