This approach began with the front facade of the building. To maintain the authenticity of the original design, the main gate was stripped back and restored, and the timber louvres and plasterwork on and around the windows and swing doors were also carefully renovated.
Over time many of the plaster motifs had lost their clarity and intricacy, and detailed research was required to ensure the restorations matched the original designs as closely as possible.
Once inside the front entrance, the ground floor includes a kitchen, a dining area that opens onto a garden, a living room and an open courtyard or air well with a pond. The guiding principle in renovating this level was to retain the structure and space, but to upgrade it to accommodate a more modern way of life.
"The courtyard, with its water feature, was a key element of the original house, and it is the most important space on the ground floor. It is a pivotal area of the home and the owners were keen to retain it but, to make it better for entertaining, they wanted to be able to close off the roof so the space could be air conditioned," says the architect.
To achieve this without loss of light or ventilation, a fully motorised, glass skylight was added. It can be retracted so it slides unobtrusively into the ceiling when not in use, recreating the original open courtyard area.
"Returning the courtyard and water feature to their former glory required painstaking work,"says Arango.