minimum. Bedrooms for visiting adult children are almost monastic
in scale, understanding that they are to be used infrequently,
whilethebedroomadjacenttothelivingareashastheoverlapping
functions of fourth bedroom, study or extended living room, all
managedbyoperatingalargeslidingdoor.This“wing”containing
thebedroomscanbeclosedoffcompletely,assistinginthereduction
of energy use.
Astrictfour-metregridoverlaystheplan,chosenforitsutility
indefiningefficientroomsizesandforthespansbetweenthelarge
laminatedveneerlumber(LVL)roofbeamsrunningthelengthof
thehouse.Theexpressionofthesebeamsandthetaperingoftheir
extremitiesspeakstotheduo’sinterestincelebratingthestructure
rather than hiding it within the walls. A strong horizontal datum,
establishedbythelargebankofslidingdoorstothenorth,provides
furtherordertoeverythingfromthebathroomtilingtothekitchen
joinery. As Scott noted with these elements, the joy in the architecture
isthedetailing,thesubtlesculptingofelementswithinarational
frameworkratherthanboisterousform-makingforitsownsake.
Theplanningofthespacesisalsoveryrational.Longviews
effectively “lengthen” the perception of the compact spaces, with
a central corridor from the front door through to the back garden’s
dividing the plan: kids’ bedrooms and living areas are to one side,
and services, the kitchen and the main bedroom are to the other.
Anotherlongviewiscreatedalongthenorthernedgeoftheinteriors,
aligning the main bedroom entrance with a carefully positioned
glassdoortotheeast,againextendingviewsoutintothegardens
thatarethelengthofthehouse.Theinteriorshavebeenhandled
withthesamepared-backsimplicityappliedtotheexterior,from
theburnishedgreyconcretefloorstothesimplebutelegantdetails
ofthetimberjoinery,theonlysurprisebeingthejuxtapositionof
rawconcreteblockstoppedwithfineCarraramarbletoformthe
kitchen island.
BothJeremyandScottarequicktoacknowledgetheinfluencethat
pragmatic, detail-driven architects such as Glenn Murcutt and Peter
Stutchburyhavehadontheirwork.Whilethereiscertainlyafamiliar
attention to detail and care for the handling of materials, these are
only stepping stones in the ongoing development of an aesthetic born
outoftheiruniquedesiretochallengeeveryindulgence.05
06 The pared-back palette
continues through to the
bathroom, with moody
bluestone juxtaposed
against bright white tiles.05 Plywood joinery in the
living space and kitchen
adds warmth and
softness to the burnished
slab and blockwork.
Artwork: Kate Mayes.