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Architects: Bespoke Architects
- Area: 309 m²
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:LuciLuci
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Manufacturers: Boral, Lysacht, Oblica, Radial Timbers
Text description provided by the architects. Located in the 13th Beach Golf Course Estate in Connewarre, this split-level home provides stunning southward views towards the sand dunes across the 14th Fairway from both the living area and master suite. The house wraps around an east-facing courtyard with views to a treed reserve, while the northern wing provides privacy from the road. The building opens up to the golf course which many of the surrounding houses have also done. The building presents a series of solid walls to the street, the only relief created by the laser cut screen in front of the ensuite window. The cantilevered slabs give the appearance of the building floating lightly over the site. The skillion roofs point south towards the views.
The clients love the mid-century modern period and have furnishings and artwork from the period that were to feature in their new home. At the beginning of the design process, the clients provided a scrapbook showing architectural details from the period they loved. There were several details that resonated and influenced the overall design:
-The cantilevered concrete floor slabs;
-Exposed beams in the ceiling and wide eaves;
-Laminex joinery.
The design was also influenced by the site and the restrictions of the 13th Beach Golf Course Design Guidelines. The site falls toward the north, with a reserve on the east. The Design Guidelines required setbacks on all four sides and a limiting external materials palette. The biggest challenge was obtaining the concrete block aesthetic from the mid-century that the clients desired while satisfying the Design Guidelines for no exposed blockwork. The solution was a reverse skin with the concrete blockwork on the inside face of the walls and silver top ash cladding on the outside.
Although a smaller house, the program is well resolved. Several rooms were given multiple uses – the study can be a guest bedroom or additional entertaining space, the laundry is within the main bathroom. The width of the central hallway allows visual connection from the front entrance to the main living area at the rear while also being wide enough to display some of the clients' extensive art collection. The change in floor levels helps to delineate the zones of the house. Sliding doors throughout the house offer the ultimate ability to close the house up into various more private spaces.
The clients made it clear from the outset they wanted their budget to go into the building rather than the joinery or finishes. The value for them was a beautiful house that sits well with its landscape and makes the most of the views. Thermal comfort and solar panels were a must. They spent the money on windows and cladding materials and internal fixtures such as the freestanding wood fire and Moroccan ensuite tiles. The value outcome far exceeds the cost outlay. It's a truly beautiful house to be in and look at and reflects the taste and personality of the clients.
