Preston House is an open, light filled home where the internal and external spaces have a close and refined connection, making it integral to a young growing family. A raw palette of concrete, steel, timber and recycled bricks make the home functional, robust and aesthetically engaging.
Who are the clients and what's interesting about them?
The clients are a young family of five. They are an active family who spend a lot of time outdoors as well as a love for entertaining.
What was the brief and design approach for this project?
A new build, Preston House is an open, light filled home where the internal and external spaces have a close and refined connection, making it integral to a young growing family.
Natural light was a big part of the clients brief as the home they previously lived in was very dark. Considering this and the site orientation, the architectural concept and design evolved in a way that allowed the structure to fold around the northern aspect of the site achieving ample natural sunlight and views from almost every room in the house as well as an inviting full depth visual link through the central pool upon entry.
The clients are a family who love to entertain so the functionality and connection of the cooking zones was an important factor. We configured and detailed three areas, including the main kitchen, the walk-in-pantry and the outdoor alfresco kitchen in a way where they can be used individually or in combination, each serving their function when entertaining family and friends.
The clients sought a raw, industrial and robust aesthetic for their home. The materials they favoured were a combination of concrete, recycled bricks, solid timber and black steel. Considering the importance of the interior and exterior connection, we made the choice of using the same materials inside and out, from the Scyon cladding wrapping into the entry to the recycled bricks in the kitchen.
The black steel framing is a prominent external feature of the house. When detailing the interiors we drew from this in order to carry through a cohesive connection with the exterior of the house and used the concept of ‘Frame’ as a platform when making interior design decisions. Embracing the concept, the clients enthusiastically connected with this idea as it evolved throughout the entire house including their Master Ensuite.
The tactility and relationship within the spaces allows all members of the family to seamlessly transition throughout and maintain a connection with one another whether they are entertaining together, spending time alone or attending to everyday rituals.
