The best architecture you've never seen

IT'S some of Australia's best architecture, but chances are you'll never see it.

IT'S some of Australia's best architecture, but chances are you'll never see it -- additions and renovations neatly tucked away from public view, masked by heritage facades.

Anyone who owns a home built before the 1950s and looking to develop knows the situation well. Councils across the country are, by nature, averse to significant changes in the streetscapes, and regularly force residents to work within strict conservation guidelines when building.

The laws are designed to preserve Australia's architectural heritage, which is relatively recent compared to European countries where some homes are several hundred years old.

But homeowners and architects are embracing the comprehensive council restrictions (even though they have no choice) to create a design scheme that celebrates the old, and sensitively adds the new.

For 44-year-old Sydney architect Simon Vaughan, Australia's best architecture is found in the backyards of the nation's homes -- a disappointing reality as much of his impressive work is rarely seen publicly.

However, a client who came to him with a spectacular corner block at Balmain, in Sydney's inner west, gave him the rare opportunity to show a beautiful contrast of design.

"In this case it's amazing because we're able to see a meshing of the two styles -- both unashamed to be representing completely different eras in architecture," he said.

"You can see we're not trying to mimic or extrude the original building; we like to show a clear definition between what existed and what is new, which hopefully enhances the building."

The original dual-occupancy cottage was constructed in the 1930s -- an "interwar home", built between the two world wars -- and one of many workers' homes in the formerly working-class district of Sydney.

The harbourside area is now in high demand, a leafy and quiet area with good access to the city. Mr Vaughan said many cashed-up baby-boomers were downsizing to the area and were keen to renovate the old buildings.

"We're getting a lot of people who love the idea of contrasting the charming brick cottages with the ultramodern twist," he said.

"I'd confidently say that more than 90 per cent of the jobs I do these days keep the architect's work hidden, and are only enjoyed privately."

The entire precinct of Balmain has been a conservation area for several decades. Development has been heavily regulated by the local council.

As pleased as he was with the project's outcome, Mr Vaughan believed council heritage architects needed to be more lenient with homeowners keen to renovate. He said it often was the case that buildings with no architectural merit were conserved "for the sake of it".

In his design, the garage was too small to fit a modern car, but the council initially refused the development application to have it widened.

Several months (and thousands of dollars) later, Mr Vaughan won a challenge against the council.

"We had to get an external heritage consultant, at great expense, to convince the council to let us build a useable garage," he said.