Work shed area outside
A practical path of pavers runs from the interior to the terrace outside, and the door is a glazed garage model that rolls up and across the ceiling to leave a clear opening. “Inside is outside,” says Moreno Masey of the design. Tucked away behind timber-clad doors is a storage area to take care of assorted outdoor items and keep them neatly out of sight. The shape remains streamlined thanks to the lack of guttering. “Guttering would interrupt the almost monolithic form of the eaves,” says Moreno Masey. “By removing the gutter, you take away any sense of ‘domesticity’ and the building becomes a pure form.” Granny Flat or Shed by MorenoMasey MorenoMasey The cladding actually negates the need for traditional guttering. “This is a small building and, as such, the water we are talking about is limited,” says Moreno Masey. “Because the roof and walls are all made in exactly the same way, the water runs through the gaps in the cladding and down the membrane behind to the floor. There’s a lip over the doors to help push the water away from the openings in the rain.”
Is there anything else the architect has learnt from this project and can Moreno Masey offer any advice for those wanting to build something similar? “When you build a shed, it needs to look amazing,” says Moreno Masey, “because from now on, that’s your view [from the house]!” But he admits the building has greatly improved the way the family use the outdoor space. “With the area bookended by living spaces, the garden itself has been transformed into an outdoor living room,” says Moreno Masey. “We now have two terraces to sit at and two internal spaces that each face the garden. They offer different things, not only [in terms of] sunlight and views, but also functions – the shed is not a kitchen and it’s not a TV room; it’s a cinema and a study. When we get the paddling pool out, it’s even a pool house…”
Q