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Architects: J Mammone Architecture
- Area: 1243 m²
- Year: 2023
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Photographs:Katherine Lu, Tom Ferguson
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Manufacturers: Cosentino, AWS, Artisian exterior, Austimber, Australian Architectural Hardwood, Axolotl Group, Brodware, Caroma, Centor, Colorbond, Dekton, Dons Tiles, Eco Outdoor, New Age Veneers, Subzero, Vanity Benchtop, Velux, Viridian, Wolf
Text description provided by the architects. Sometimes, the beauty of a project is not purely about the building but equally about its surroundings. This once-vacant lot on the hill of Cobbitty, with sweeping views of agricultural crops and distant mountain tops, becomes the underlying basis of the project core. It asked for an architecture that wouldn’t impede but rather firm in its character to allow for framed views to enhance the beauty of what already existed. The Base draws you deep into the experience of the place with a refreshing inventiveness of robust materials, simplistic framing, and lightness of whole-hearted Australian pavilion architecture.
The home stretches along 73m, with a modest kink to the end for a distinguished guest quarter. A series of pre cast concrete blades form the language to the rear of the home, framing the landscaped site beyond allowing for a deep appreciation of the natural topography. Externally, this expressed structure establishes a visual rhythm and sense of order. They double as creating zones of privacy between glazed openings, and engage with the movement of the sun to allow the deep shadows of light to activate the rear façade.
Particular emphasis was given to creating a deliberate entry sequence into the home. On arrival, you are funneled down the hill and weave through well-established trees before feeling the presence of the home. The curved stone-clad wall encourages visitors to the entry, where an oversized core ten-pivot door opens to the entry space. The scale of this space soars to over 6m, and you feel the duality of the power of grandeur scale, coupled with the daintiness of a series of handmade glass pendants trickling above and luscious landscaping ahead.
From here, a circulation spine connects to private and public parts of the home. The bedrooms are nestled together, allowing for a simple retreat and privacy. Across from this, the living areas sprawl to the West, fluid in their spatial design, allowing each space to seamlessly extend out into external spaces. The large operable glazed panels in these areas take full advantage of the Northern aspect and encourage natural daylighting to flood interior spaces. An off-form concrete hood floats between glazed openings and glazed highlights, running along the complete length of the North, East, and West perimeter of the home. This hood not only performs to provide thermal comfort to internal spaces through sunlight and shade but is also an engineering feat as it spans unsupported between large openings.
This home stands as more than just a structure; it has become the foundation for the family that inhabits it and the base for a lifetime of experiences and memories to come.
