BACKGROUND
Because ideal land and house packages in prime locations are very hard to find in today’s market, the clients purchased a 1978 circa two storey brick veneer project house located on a beautiful canal frontage allotment. Needless to say the house itself did not satisfy their needs nor their lifestyle. The form of the building was dated and not in keeping with the high standard of the more contemporary homes in the precinct and lacked appeal from both the street and the canal. The planning and circulation of the house did not respond well to the site nor the climate and had no relationship to outdoor living areas. The decks overlooking the water views were small and cramped and offered no space for dining, cooking and entertaining. Nevertheless, the clients had a belief that with careful, innovative and sensitive design they could achieve cost-effective solutions to the renovations and additions they had in mind. To see sketch plans click here: Floor plans / Elevations
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THE
DESIGN BR
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The clients disliked the approach to the front door, especially the two round reinforced concrete columns that supported each side of the entry portal. The entrance to the existing garage was by way of a side entry, and the resultant curving driveway created a vast and hot hard landscaping surface that tended to dominate the entry approach to the house. The existing house was designed along an east-west axis presumably in an attempt to address the water frontage. The study and living areas were not conducive to functional furniture layout options, with the latter area also not relating to any outdoor living and entertaining areas. The eastern and western elevations of the house did not respond to efficient designs for climate and did not offer any effective protection to the effects of summer solar gain. The existing residence did not address itself well to the waterfront. THE
DESIGN RESPONSE
All buildings should have a strong sense of entry, one that is well defined and offers a sense of arrival to the visitor. The existing entry design was not well developed and in conflict with the form and bulk of the building. The entry portal was set diagonally across two intersecting roofs, supported by two dominant cylindrical columns that was intensely disliked by the new owners. However, to remove the circular reinforced concrete columns was not an option due to structural costs involved. The design response was to make their form meaningful. More circular columns were introduced into the design and their presence as supports along the new covered way not only reinforced the sense of arrival, but also gave protection from a sub-tropical climate. The
curved form was to become part of the central design theme for the
additions. Hence the
courtyard walls, decks, swimming pool and verandah roof gently borrowed
the curves of the once lone entry columns. To
facilitate the construction of a well-defined entry, the dominance of the
existing expanse of concrete driveway had to be removed.
A shorter and more direct driveway into the relocated garage entry
on the western wall allowed for more soft landscaping to complement the
new entry path making the journey to the lichgate an enjoyable experience. As
discussed earlier, a structurally bold covered way was introduced as a
link from the front door to an entry gate and portal.
This secured entry point was adjoined to a quadrant screen wall to
the north side that had the effect of visually and physically guiding
visitors to the entry. The
Introduction of another courtyard wall to the south and removing the brick
veneer skin off the existing garage wall down to the same height as the
courtyard walls created a strong horizontal line to the form of the
building. This has the effect of reducing the height and bulk of the
building and linking it to secure and private outdoors areas. An
extensive new upper level deck was created on the eastern end of the
building allowing the master bedroom and study to have access to private
outdoor spaces. Plantation shutters on the north and south added texture and
helped control the wind, sun and privacy issues. The deck edge has 2 separate horizontal curves, which
orientates the outdoor spaces more towards the northern exposure.
A lightweight roof floats over the decks and existing main roof and
is designed to allow penetration of natural light and breezes. The
separation of the new roof from that of the main roof ensures adequate
ventilation and prevents hot air from being trapped and making the
verandah uncomfortably breathless in summer. A
swimming pool below has curves that mimic the form of the deck above and
gives it a sense of belonging and has the effect of visually connecting
the external spaces with the building.
The kitchen and dining rooms are modified to open out onto a new
covered outdoor dining and entertainment terrace that connects them to the
swimming pool and canal. Once
again the use of plantation shutters are employed to control the elements
and address privacy issues. Consideration
has been given to solar control, particularly the western elevation where
timber pergolas have been added to give broken sunlight.
The eastern face of the building is well serviced by the overhang
of new roofs and decks, which give protection from not only the hot
morning sun but also the effects of wind and rain. Internal
modifications have been implemented to address issues of the
practicability of floor layout and pedestrian circulation.
Windows have been moved, deleted or modified to give better
ventilation and improve wall and floor space for the accommodation of
furniture. A low wall had been added in the study to allow for the
penetration of sunlight and breezes but allows for efficient layout of
office furniture.
PRODUCTSBuilding materials used in the design are as follows:.
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This Website is the Copyright of Jeff Lee & Associates ©2001
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Rockcote wall render finish.