Austinmer | Dharawal Country
Nestled on the slopes of the Illawarra escarpment, the project emerges from the client’s desire to renew the amenities of the existing two storey home. A new garden room is introduced to intimately connect with the backyard and rear sclerophyll forest.
In response to a high BAL rating, the design employs materiality restraint, using cost efficient masonry blockwork to protect the occupants from bushfire threat and meet the retaining requirements of the steep site conditions.
The threshold from the old to new is defined by a dark vertical volume, creating a space of shadow that accentuates the shifting light throughout the day. Within this zone, all amenities are strategically placed for efficient servicing and program clarity.
Upstairs, the garden room is wrapped with honed blockwork, offering a smooth, refined finish to the otherwise raw material. A room curated for reading, savouring a feast, while bathed in the afternoon glow of western light filtering through the Eucalyptus forest above.
Project team
Brent Dunn, Katharina Hendel, Daniel Rivers
Unbuilt