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- area:
280 square meters
Year:
2023
-
Chief Architect:
Scott Eldridge, Jeremy Anderson
Text description provided by the architect. Brown Hill House was conceived as a simple, solid form that reflects the natural drop of its site. The design uses stepped floors to delineate family areas and formally cuts out a spacious central courtyard to allow natural light to penetrate. The central open space is designed around the tall rubber trees scattered across the site, integrating the built environment with the existing natural environment. The curved roofline is a further mediation, curving gracefully around the tree landscape and sloping in sync with the slope of the site. Brown Hill House drops into the landscape from back to front and is composed of a solid selection of materials arranged in clean volumes that enhance the essential qualities of the surrounding landscape, while complemented by soft grays and greys. The shades coordinate with them. Warm brown. Concrete brick walls lend weight and definition, defining the building’s perimeter and allowing the roofline to gracefully extend above. The courtyard is designed as a visual extension of the house, constantly present through the generous glazing and ensuring a further sense of visual connection between the rooms.
Our clients come to us after seeing our work on social media, specifically a project we completed in Ballarat a few years ago. Our clients are a young family of 3 boys with an active lifestyle. They had lived in the Ballarat region for many years and were attracted by the idea of living in a larger place where their children could explore the surrounding bushland. They were a social family, often entertaining friends or family from across the interstate, so the house needed to be able to accommodate larger gatherings while retaining a close-knit family feel. Our clients were particularly interested in building a house that would allow them to passively care for their children while maintaining privacy and resting space.
The brief focused on building a reasonably solid and cost-effective family home that would age gracefully and sit comfortably on the sloping site. It seemed important to provide a clear overall space that is well connected and also has seating spaces for different activities, entertainment and children’s play. When we first visited the site we saw a series of very tall trees with very few foliage on the lower levels. Our interest was in retaining the existing trees as much as possible and taking advantage of the natural contours in both directions. Following an assessment by an arborist, we felt that a building that maintained a distinct presence and transformed around the existing character would be the most appropriate approach. The circular courtyard eaves emerged from the early stages of the design, allowing us to develop an inward-facing scheme with a strong connection to the landscape. Courtyards also began to separate family gathering spaces from more private areas of the house while retaining visual connections. Glass steps at the edges provide articulated corners that allow sunlight to warm the concrete during the colder months and provide protection during the summer.
The site’s natural slope slopes in two directions, creating a series of horizontal planes and sloping roof lines that reflect the slight drop in the site. The footprint and arched roof edges are designed to provide sun protection for the glass while allowing light and visual connections between areas of the house. The arch also strayed from an original tree that proved too unstable to retain, ultimately providing a beautiful central space for the pool and lawned terrace. Our approach was an effective response to the brief and site, particularly the existing trees, the slope of the site and its orientation. The courtyard space was developed as a key design driver and directional device that connects the house and provides a central sheltered focal point. The location of the courtyard takes advantage of the northern aspect and the internal spaces are arranged around the courtyard. As the sun moves throughout the day, the light allowed in or excluded depending on the depth of the curved folded steel eaves creates a dramatic sense of time and enclosure.
We used masonry walls around the perimeter of the house, an economical material we had been interested in in many of our earlier projects. In this case we explored a concrete brick that dissolves into an incidental brick screen on the courtyard wing wall. The durability and solidity of the brick skin surround a warmer interior material palette. The gray exterior color blends in with the jungle and has a slight patina to make it feel like it has been sitting comfortably on site for many years. The courtyard is predominantly framed with hardwood timbers, extending through the corridor space to the exposed timber roof structure. We limited the interior color palette to reflect light and emphasized viewing the exterior space as a dynamic and evolving experience. The bathroom is slightly darker, providing a subtle sense of privacy, and features a large trough window for views of the neighboring jungle from the shower stall.
The most significant customization feature in the house is the curved steel eaves that frame the perimeter of the courtyard. This was designed in collaboration with local manufacturers and required careful detailing. Folded steel bends and rotates in multiple planes to frame the edges of the courtyard roof.
The success of this project really depends on the quality of space provided by the courtyard. We are honored to hear how much our clients enjoy living in this space and notice the subtle changes in light quality throughout the day and season. The integration of the building into the site, blending into the landscape and maintaining a low profile on the street is something we have appreciated as a client during our many visits since the building was completed.
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