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design
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The plan of the three-level house with its
wide central hallway, inner courtyard and
double-height verandah to the north, gives
visual transparency and connection to the
rich surrounds, allows cross-ventilation, and
offers protection from sun and rain. But
most importantly it allows a real sense of
enclosure and privacy.
The project also included the integration of
a heritage-listed boatshed, a pool and
facilities and significant landscape works.
Although Elizabeth Bay is full of fine brick
buildings the choice of brick was driven
primarily by the aim to build a structure of
a timeless quality that would weather and
age with dignity.The primary architectural
elements that define the house are
insulated 320 mm-thick loadbearing brick
walls comprising two leaves of 110 mm
brickwork separated by 50 mm of insulation
and a 50 mm cavity.They provide thermal
mass and visual and acoustic privacy and
have a visual weight and density that
defines rooms both inside and out.
Importantly, their warmth, colour and
character complement the other building
materials and details.
I wanted the house to be an honest
expression of the way it was built.The
loadbearing walls are of brick and so they
are expressed inside and out. I also wanted
to visually diffuse the relationship between
inside and out, so we restrained the palette
of materials used to brick, timber and brass,
and they literally run everywhere.
The next layer of interior furnishings can
work off this very retrained backdrop. But it
was a real challenge for everybody
involved to get the tolerances,
dimensioning and setout of the brickwork
such that this was possible.Also critical was
the mix of colours.A great deal of planning
and material handling was required so that
the spread of colour and texture present in
each palette of bricks was seamlessly
integrated.
The slim 50 mm bricks were chosen
because the proportion very subtly broke
down the vertical scale of the structure
and the walls.The finer scale also allowed
us to get a richer and denser mix into these
sometimes three-story monolithic elements.
The horizontal emphasis pushes the eye
outward drawing-in the external spaces
and connections that are so important to
the house.The harbour, pool and garden
are drawn into the interior spaces.
Between the brick walls and forming the
balance of the facade are beautiful
western red cedar panels sometimes nine
meters high.They act as cladding, window
and furniture simultaneously, providing for
ventilation, light, view, privacy, and storage
and services. Beautiful brass, timber, steel
and copper elements complement the
brickwork and cedar. Most of these
elements and fixtures were custom
designed for the project and fabricated by
local contractors and tradespeople.
The house also includes the latest
technology and environmental systems.
Water storage, grey-water recycling,
energy-efficient heating and cooling
systems, lighting control and automation,
security, access control and entertainment
systems are all the most up-to-date. However
they are not overtly expressed; great care
has been given to invisible integration with
easy and direct interface.
In all, the house attests to a significant
collaboration between architect, builder
and the many contractors and artisans
required to build a house of this complexity.
It confirms a belief in the handmade, the
crafted and the local, a process
underpinned by a client willing to trust in
this collaboration and to appreciate and
understand the significance of the project
and its aims.
Jon King
is principal of Design King
Company, a leading Sydney architectural
and design practice. He studied industrial
design before completing his architectural
studies at the University of Technology,
Sydney where he was awarded the
University Medal, the NSW Board of
Architects Medallion, the Kann Scholarship
and the RAIA NSW Chapter Prize. He also
lectures and is a frequent contributor to a
number of major newspapers and blogs at
http://news.domain.com.au/blog/mypad.
previous page.
The choice of
face brick for internal display was
“an honest expression of the way
[the house] was built” contends
the architect, Jon King.
from left.
A restrained palette of
brick, timber, brass, steel and
copper features throughout the
interior.The bricks are a slim 50mm
high giving a more finely “knit”
appearance to the walling.
Photography:
Brett Boardman