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ocatedwestoftheBallaratCBD,thishomebyEldridge

Anderson is almost an anachronism. As a first project, it is

remarkably refined, as if the practice had leapt forward thirty

yearstolearnfromits“earlyjob”mistakes.Intruth,the

collaborating architects, Jeremy Anderson and Scott Eldridge, studied

architecturetogetherandhaveeachbeenpractisingformorethan

tenyearsbeforecollaboratingonthisproject.

Theproject’sgenesishasasenseofcircularitytoit,theclients

being Jeremy’s parents, who presented the opportunity to design a

newhomeforthemastheyretire.Thisfamilialrelationshipalso

affordedtheduoalevelofcomfortinexploringanapproachof

reductiveandrationalarchitecture,arareopportunityforapractice

to be able to realize a built version of their manifesto as a first project.

Situated in a quiet street within a new estate, the home presents

acalmandalmosthumbleelevationtothestreet,yetisimmediately

setapartfromitsneighboursbyahandfulofcarefulgestures.The

most obvious is the impossibly fine horizontal plane created with the

foldedgutter,creatingacrispprofilethathoversatapleasinglylow,

humanscaleovertheentry.Theroof,asinglerakedplane,thenlifts

generously as it travels north over the living areas. The next gesture

is the palette of robust, neutral materials, such as the unfinished

concreteblockandcementsheetorthetimbercladdinggivenalight

grey wash, all materials that are antithetical to the relentless and

rarely challenged veneer of brick and render that typifies most new

volumehousing.Amoresubtlecontributionisfoundinthehome’s

occupationoftheblock,withthefootprintheldwellawayfromthe

side boundaries, especially to the east, creating an opportunistic

spacefortheclients–avidgardeners–tocolonize.

The brief from Jeremy’s parents wasn’t onerous: it asked for some

bedrooms for visiting kids (and their kids), a generous open area for

entertaining, and that the design reference an appreciation of the

American Case Study Houses. The biggest challenge was for Jeremy

andScotttoaccomplishthiswithinaveryleanbudget.Infact,for

the project to even proceed, the build cost had to compete with those

of the speculative houses around them, something that the architects

proudly report was achieved.

Designing a bespoke residence for the outlay of a volume home is

nomeanfeat,especiallyconsideringthehighleveloffinish,custom

joinery and precise detailing throughout. The architects relied on

therebeingarationalityandsimplicitytothestructuraldiagram

and assembly of components. As we walked through the house,

Jeremynotedthatiftherewasonephrasethatdefinedtheprocess,

it was “pare it back.” This approach started with the size of the

spaces themselves. Each room has been reduced to its comfortable

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