Positioned in a quiet, conservative street the additions to the existing workers cottage nestle into the suburban setting respecting the scale, form, and materiality of its context and weave between the constraints of a substantial hoop pine, the existing house and a pool sited centrally in the backyard.
Presenting a conservative street elevation, the extended eave overhangs combine with a lower pitching height to reduce the perceived scale of the addition whilst the dark elevation of the addition blends it into the shadows of the pine.
Only the double height glazed entry provides an indicator of the contemporary planning of the addition. The additions focus on the visual awareness and connectedness to the garden and the play of light throughout the created spaces. The rear of the house opens to the pool and garden via considered positions of the openings and window treatments to facilitate sight lines throughout the plan whilst also maintaining privacy from the adjacent properties as desired. These gestures serve to create a light and open interior that captures any available breeze to naturally control the internal climate of the home.
This project is conceived as two buildings brought together as one via the unifying entry and linking external facades. The entry punctuates the space, allowing natural light to filter through the timber battened translucent roof to highlight the textured materials of the two parts.
The building tectonics reference the vernacular construction of the Queenslander through the expression of the frame/structure and the application of common materials which provide texture and visual interest. The interiors explore the application and layering of natural and tactile materials to create a rich calming ambiance.
The inclusion of passive solar design principals, in-ground water tanks, and PV cells minimise the families reliance on heating and cooling and have resulted in no power bills since taking occupancy.
Material Used :
1. Windows & Doors: custom made western red cedar joinery by The Doorkeeper
2. External Walls:
- Carter Holt Harvey –Shadowclad grooved plywood with Resene timber stain
- Western Red Cedar cladding with oil finish
- Ampelite Cool-lite polycarbonate cladding
- Existing timber weatherboard
3. Roofing:
- Lysaght zincalume custom-orb & trimdeck profile metal sheeting
- Ampelite Cool-lite polycarbonate cladding
4. Flooring:
- Boral stringybark parquetry and T&G flooring with wax finish
- Recycled brick pavers
- Blackbutt decking
5.Kitchen Joinery:
- Island benchtop – recycled tenpin bowling alley floor
- Carrara marble
- Combination of stained plywood and laminate cabinetry
