Context This home is located in Concord, a inner western suburb of Sydney within a heritage precinct. Over the past decade Concord has undergone a major revitalisation, beginning with local council upgrading the main commercial area. This has had a significant impact on property prices in the area and consequently a turnover of property and many new and existing families to the area up grading existing property to suit their current needs. Brief Set on 12m wide, 450m² block of land with a east west orientation, which creates a challenge to provide a northern orientation to the living areas. In addition to this a maximum floor area allowable of 240m² + garage. This project first began life as a renovation, through a process of testing the brief requirements, it became apparent that the a renovation one or two restrictions to many to meeting the brief without significant compromise. Brief On the face of it, the brief was is a quality modern 4 bedroom + study. The client was also seeking a very contemporary look and feel to the project with an emphasis on sustainability, privacy, low noise transmission internally, finishes conscious of allergy suffers and 70% of the brief floor areas where also required on the ground floor. To raise the stakes further was a client with an eye for detail and quality of finish, this project was not for short cuts or compromises.
Concord House
Response
With the street trees as part of a heritage order, this placed greater attention on the street elevation from the council. All existing houses in the street having traditional pitched roves, and a client particularly strong in his view of a contemporary home to have a flat or skillion roof, the challenge was to tie this into the street scape successfully. This was done primarily through the material pallet chosen for the external facade, a blue brick similar to the more significant “Californian Bungalows” also in the street, flat rendered sections and a small area of cladding. With careful composition of the front façade, the bulk is broken down to reflect each of the neighbouring homes. The roof line than add the continuity to tie the pieces together into a coherent whole. In plan the outcome is quiet efficient, split north to south dropping a double garage partly below ground level on the northern side with a study, library and terrace area above. The main body of the building contains the bulk of the floor area over two levels, set to the south. This allowed all living areas to be placed along a northern wall and gain a level of direct light and gave all area required on the ground floor or at a half level. With double brick and concrete construction throughout, this give high thermal mass and makes it a quiet and robust for an active family. The treatment of finishes are kept to a minimum, with internal walls a simple paint finish on the finished brickwork. Floors to the main living and circulation areas remaining concrete which as been sealed, library and study have a parquetry floor with an oil finish and carpet to the bedrooms only.
