Engineers: Hutchinson Consulting

Contractors: Jason Mann - Iconic Homes  

Designed for a a family returning from Northern Australia unusually seeking to escape the baking sun, this house has been designed with notions of privacy and protection in mind. The brief  called for a focus on materiality - using off-form concrete and cedar alongside natural aluminium and pre-painted corrugate, each element has been carefully selected and detailed to complement and enhance the other. The challenge on this roadside south facing site was to provide a good quality of light throughout the house, while maintaining privacy and minimising direct sun.

This has been achieved via carefully placed skylights and large opening doors and windows on the southern (view) side to provide high levels of ambient light. As always, simplicity of form was a priority - the long gable pavilion and understated exterior palette contrast well with the owner's eclectic tastes and selections for the interior. Despite being located on a stunning site, the original house was in bad shape. However it was decided to work within it's basic parameters to ensure the new design stayed within a suitable bulk and scale for the streetscape. It's hoped the house has an Aussie flavour, with a Kiwi twist.