This multi-generational family home was designed to meet the ever-changing needs of its current and future inhabitants. The home, which had been in the family for over 40 years, needed to be adapted to cater for the client and his two older daughters as well as extended family including grandparents, a brother and a cousin as well.

Consultation with the client revealed extensive requirements for the home, meaning it was not feasible to renovate and that designing and building a new home was a much better option. Fortunately, the client owned the adjoining block and it was decided that rather than tearing down the existing house, he would have it moved to the empty block and build a new home on the existing block.

Brief

The client’s brief was to create a home that “lives” the way his family does. He envisioned a unique, comfortable and secure environment for all family members to gather and enjoy.

High on the client’s list was security; he wanted to ensure all family members and guests had easy and simple keyless access to the property at all times.

Comfort and sustainability were also requirements. One of the goals with the architectural design of this property was to ensure passages and pathways were created all the way through the building, from ground floor to loft. This was to create natural convectional cooling in an effort to reduce the need to switch on the air conditioning system. To achieve this, the architect’s concept and brief was to have the electronic motorised louvres automated along with the HVAC system. The idea was to have these two cooling methods intertwined to co-exist and complement each other. This turned out to be one of the key successful aspects of this high-end project.

Sustainability

• The home includes an integrated control system to open and shut windows and monitor power resources, and control external shading devices throughout.
• Insulation panels were included on all external walls, floors and ceilings.
• With orientation to the north-east, appropriately placed louvre windows and a high clerestory on the first floor ensure low need for mechanical heating and cooling.
• The home includes water storage, solar panels and circulation pumps to ensure greater energy efficiency across all other areas of the home.

Key products

• External materials include alpolic panels to external first floor walls, Japanese tiles to front external walls, clear anodised shutters throughout, black and clear anodised windows and doors, and extensive tiling throughout.
• Internal materials include blackbutt floors, concrete benchtops in the kitchen, porcelain large format wall tiles in the bathrooms, black bean veneer and New Guinea rosewood to internal joinery along with peitra grey marble.