ON TOP OF THE WORLD

A rock-climbing architect painstakingly rebuilt a 120-year-old worker's cottage in the NSW Blue Mountains, proving good things do come in small packages.

- Hanna Marton

For an architect, renovating your own home can be a struggle. Knowing all the possible options can lead to a textbook case of analysis paralysis. To extend or not? Add a storey? Take one away? Knock down and rebuild? Then there are the myriad design details to contend with. When architect Stewart Smith and his partner, MJ, stumbled across this 120-year-old cottage in the NSW Blue Mountains, they ultimately took the road less travelled. Which is apt since they’re avid rock climbers. Instead of extending or even working within the existing footprint, which included old additions, they stripped the worker’s cottage back to its original size. The result is a one-bedroom cabin that meets all of their needs. “We’re not true minimalists, but we like using only the space we require,” explains Stewart. “The more things you buy, the more space you need. And if you have less space, you can’t consume as much.” Building a smaller house also allowed Stewart to invest in and craft quality finishes, and clean 2500 salvaged bricks by hand, preparing them to be relaid.