PROJECT BRIEF

The clients wanted to build a 3 bedroom residence at a popular seaside township targeted at the holiday market. It was to be fun to live in and one that could be used as a beach house most of the year. The budget was to be limited to $200,00.00 including a swimming pool and landscaping. A double lock-up garage was also required.

The clients had a limited number of allotments to choose from due to the high demand for sites close to the beach. Their final selection was a small allotment rejected by most prospective buyers.

The site was a difficult one. The real estate agencies and the buying public perceived it as undesirable. It was low lying and located adjacent to a coastal swamp. It also had two road frontages with the western boundary backing onto a major highway. It was also seen to have no penetration from cooling north-easterly breezes due to its low elevation behind coastal dunes. Not a great start in the natural asset stakes for a holiday home.

To see sketch plans click here: Site & Ground Floor Plan / Roof + First Floor Plan

RESOLUTIONS

Because the site is adjacent to a coastal wetland and it contained some excellent stands of Melaleuca trees, it was important to minimise the impact on the environment by construction of a lightweight structure that sat lightly on the landscape.

The concept was to use a pallet of building materials that would reflect the beach vernacular of tin and timber and to construct two pavilions and to link them together by a covered deck. The western pavilion was to become the dormitory block containing a study within the two-storey structure. The eastern pavilion would accommodate the living areas and would be single storey to allow light, ventilation and sharing of views from the dormitory block. The entire house would be located as far south as possible to ensure privacy to the neighbours and would be designed to have a narrow footprint running east-west to maximise its northern orientation. To ensure that construction costs were minimised, the building was to be designed with no corridors or waste spaces.

To overcome the visual and noise aspects of the highway, a walled courtyard separated the building from the road. The bathrooms and ensuite were then sited adjacent to the courtyard. Next to the washrooms, walk-in robes and change rooms would maximise the distance from vehicular traffic and would provide sound absorbing qualities for the bedrooms. Small fenestrations on the bathroom walls ensured restricted entry of sound and hot western sunlight.

The living quarters have the kitchen located on the eastern-most portion of the pavilion to take advantage of the sunrises and views of the paperbark forest on the foreshore. The dining and lounge rooms share a northern aspect and have the added advantage of opening directly onto a large covered deck for entertaining the inevitable visitors dropping in for a day at the beach.

The deck physically links the pavilions together and serves to be the soul of the house. This is where life truly takes place. This is a place that is hard to define as indoors or out. It is a true evolution of the Queensland verandah. This space is open yet can be secured by timber plantation shutters during family visits to the beach. It also enhances the energy efficiency of the building allowing the residence to breathe and remain cool during the summer. This has been achieved by having a skillion roof over the deck to catch the northeast breezes and provide shade from the summer sun. The angle of the roof was designed to allow for the winter sun to penetrate and the plantation shutters that were employed to secure the house from intruders, also vary the entry of the wind and the breezes and offer controlled privacy to the occupants.

Because there was concern for the welfare of the ecosystem in the adjacent watercourse, invasive practices such as cut and fill was avoided. All the existing native trees were retained and to complete the landscaping, ornamental ponds were stocked with native fish and frogs to control mosquitos and to complement the biodiversity and positive feel of the adjacent watercourse.

<<<BACK

	BDAA 2000 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS


	RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS UP TO 200 SQ.M.
	"NELLER RESIDENCE" : PROJECT BRIEF + SOLUTIONS