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Snapcustom-built homes | chateau architects and builders
108
build homeO
ur passion for French provincial style never
wanes. The look is classic, the appeal timeless
as this alluring abode on Sydney’s Upper
North Shore, home to a professional couple
and their children, effortlessly proves.
“The site sits in the vicinity of several
heritage homes and in an iconic street
replete with grand residences of classical
style, so the brief was to create an authentic French
provincial home that was sensitive to the setting,” says
Rod McDonald, Company Architect, Chateau Architects
and Builders. “The owners wanted all the formal rooms a
home like this would traditionally have while still catering
for the needs of a contemporary family. Also essential was
a generous garage, which was to be concealed so as not to
compromise the facade.”
Making the most of the sloping site, as well as the
northerly rear aspect, was just as high on the list. To
optimise the fall of the land, Chateau created a home with
a two-storey front and a three-storey rear.
“The owner used his own resources to carry out the early
works, namely excavation and structural basement works,
with Chateau building
the levels above and
providing the bespoke
fi nishes throughout,”
explains Rod. “By
overseeing all works,
guided by a specially
prepared agreement
which allowed Chateau
and the owner to work
together seamlessly, we
were able to produce an
award-winning home.”
As with any custom build, there were challenges. “The
owners wanted to maximise the height of the ceilings and
the facade, and to have a high roof pitch for a grander street
presence. This resulted in a breach of the local council’s
uncompromising height controls,” says Rod. “A design
solution was achieved that provided all that was required —
and more, including a high-pitched roof but with a fl at zinc
roof atop. This achieved height compliance and produced an
even more authentic French provincial appearance.”Rod McDonald,
Director of Architecture,
Chateau Architects and Builders