Zig Zag House
Simon Whitbread
Product Spec Sheet

ElementBrandProduct Name
ManufacturersAEG
SuppliersArtisan Venetian Plaster
ManufacturersBlueScope
Interior LightingCHRISTOPHER BOOTS
TilesDi Lorenzo Tiles
ManufacturersLick paint

Product Spec Sheet
Manufacturers
by AEG
Manufacturers
Interior Lighting
Tiles
Manufacturers

Zig Zag House

Stukel Architecture as Architects

Zig Zag House presents an audacious conversation between the old and the new, with its unexpected location set within Sydney’s eastern suburb of Kensington. The clients were returning to their old family home, desired to live in a unique setting that offered a singular architectural experience amongst the other neighbouring Federation bungalows. 

photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread
photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread

As its name denotes, the complex roof design has been pleated and crafted like a concertina, creating a bold form that borrows its structure from a shade giving palm leaf. The roof also metaphorically floats above the waterway which flows from the site and into Centennial Park and Botany Bay. Daringly, it presents the new part of the home that extends the existing Federation cottage, connecting the living, dining and kitchen spaces of the home. Seamlessly, the overhang has been joined to the linear ceiling plane from the original roof.  Playfully a 'Jetty' has been included in the design of the rear terrace in response to the theoretical 1:200 year flood levels.
The staircase which is the spine of the home, is an indulgent feature that opportunely draws from the scale and the sloping nature of the site, attracting attention as one of the focal points within this monumental building. Majestically it offers a connection and a transition between the old and new spaces within the home, with the colourful blade column adding some character to the austere composition. 

photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread
photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread

The internal layout is orchestrated around the client’s collection of artworks and keepsakes, meticulously choreographing the lighting to illuminate these pieces.
Using standard materials, a controlled palette has been applied to the new addition, yet  treated in a unique way that renders it to be seen in a new form. Evidently, this can be found in the plaster board that has been taped and set to create the zig zag pattern, the Oregon timber concrete, the BC ply formply, as well as the Venetian plaster applied to the blade column. This particular craftsmanship showcases the materials in an exclusive way that forms the unique characteristic of the home. 

photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread
photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread

Team:

Architects: Stukel Architecture

Builder : AJP Constructions, Andrew Payton

Structural Engineering : Cantilever Consulting Engineers

Soft Landscape Design : Adam Robinson Design

Pool Contractor : Senator Pools, Mirco Lepagier

Structural Engineer : Adam Cameron

Garden Contractor : Ryan Donald

Joinery Broker : Blake Riley

Metalwork : Syd City Steel, Otis

Lighting Supplier : Illus, Andrew Begley

Colour Consultant : Lick Colour

Photographer: Simon Whitbread

photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread
photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread

Materials Used:

Christopher Boots Lighting

photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread
photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread
photo_credit Simon Whitbread
Simon Whitbread
Project Spotlight
Product Spotlight
News
Urban plan for Oostenburg in Amsterdam’s city center combines industrial heritage with urban density
31 Oct 2024 News
Urban plan for Oostenburg in Amsterdam’s city center combines industrial heritage with urban density

The artificial island of Oostenburg is the final large-scale development in Amsterdam’s city c... More

Serene home in Mexico by HW Studio is cocooned in wood and bathed with warm zenithal light
30 Oct 2024 News
Serene home in Mexico by HW Studio is cocooned in wood and bathed with warm zenithal light

Completed in July 2024, Casa Emma was designed by Mexican architectural practice HW Studio. Located... More

ITECH Research Pavilion 2024 demonstrates novel approach to bio-based hybrid architecture
30 Oct 2024 Innovations
ITECH Research Pavilion 2024 demonstrates novel approach to bio-based hybrid architecture

The latest ITECH Research Pavilion project asks the question: “How can technology drive a bala... More

Archello Awards 2024 Finalists – Projects
29 Oct 2024 Archello Awards
Archello Awards 2024 Finalists – Projects

Archello Awards 2024 has revealed the projects nominated as finalists to win each of this year&rsquo... More

Archello Awards 2024 Finalists – Products
29 Oct 2024 Archello Awards
Archello Awards 2024 Finalists – Products

Archello Awards 2024 has revealed the projects nominated as finalists to win each of this year&... More

Archello Awards 2024 Finalists – Firms
29 Oct 2024 Archello Awards
Archello Awards 2024 Finalists – Firms

Archello Awards 2024 has revealed the projects nominated as finalists to win each of this year&... More

De Zwarte Hond completes circular renovation and extension of 1970s Leiden University building
29 Oct 2024 News
De Zwarte Hond completes circular renovation and extension of 1970s Leiden University building

Architectural studio De Zwarte Hond has completed a considered circular renovation and extension of... More

Footbridge-like Villa Sidonius in Czech Republic experiments with architecture and technology
28 Oct 2024 News
Footbridge-like Villa Sidonius in Czech Republic experiments with architecture and technology

Prague-based architectural studio Stempel & Tesar architekti has completed Villa Sidonius, a ste... More