Thursday, November 16, 2023

Badminton Sports Stadium

First drawings of a warehouse style building in an industrial area for a proposed badminton stadium. 












Thursday, September 2, 2021

Bringer of New Life to the old.

This project is an upper floor addition build over the front of the existing home and it gives us the opportunity to give the home a serious uplift and a very new face.  We are going to transform the home from this tired 1980's style home 


to a graciously updated grand estate looking home.







Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Retirement self build in a Country town

This was an enjoyable project for retirees looking to self build on a now cleared lot of once an old framed country house caught in a large bush fire that devastated much of the town.  As sad is the story, as joyful is the rebirth of new life for the town and the property.


The lot falls away sharply from the road and overlooks the falling valley towards the main road with scattered surviving housing.  Maybe one day the large lot will be developed but for now it is small growth bush growing back after the fire and makes a lovely outlook for the rear facing living area and large balcony.
The front of the house facing the street will appear to be a single storey house.
The side of the house faces north and had a large open area within the lot for the creation of a garden space.



The side of the 

The owner had decided that Bondor panels were the go and he was wanting to build his house up at road level and infil underneath with a large open garage and workshop area and even parking for a caravan or other vehicles.  So the home was designed rather strictly to the standard width bondor panels and windows positioned to suit.  Even though the panels will disappear under a rendered finish, working to the panel system will make it easier for the client in construction.

Bondor panels can go the double storey but they do need some help in structural support for the suspended floor which is on a steel frame on posts, the posts disappearing into the panelling.

Bondor panels have a high insulation value and will be used for the walls and roof.
The walls will have an additional applied finish and painted.  The roof panels are left in their natural state with a colorbond finish.  There are no ceilings to be added. The roof panels are raking and will be seen underneath as a raking ceiling.
The ground floor for the garage/workshop level is a poured concrete slab. The overhead steal suspended floor joists will be all exposed but if the undercroft became more formal they could easily be lined underneath for a uniform ceiling finish.
The upper floor is Supafloor which is a thicker 53mm panel designed to deaden noise from shoes up above which is a bit of a problem with framed floors lined with structural flooring.  


Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Dream by the Beach pt 2

So after attempting to renovate the existing property involving both extensive demolition of the front living section and retention and reuse of the existing bedroom double storey wing at the rear, with the evolving client brief now made it obvious that working with the existing multiple levels on sand hill was not going to provide the best outcome and the brief changed to demolition of all house, retaining only the rear garage, and a brand new double storey build.

It was a fresh start and the ease to be able to have the freedom to do what was needed for the residence was very noticeable. No longer having to deal with what you have

So on we go to explore a new idea, to take advantage of the wide beach outlook from a wonderfully elevated position, to raise the front yard to create a larger open deck and ground area, to allow for gated access to the rear garage.

Here was my first attempt, which still contained strong elements of my earlier renovation project because the front was a demolish and rebuild anyway, the outlook, orientation was the same so roughly the same layout inside was still very relevant but it was a much cleaner and consistent package.


Let's see how it would look with a pitched roof, bit of a Hamptons approach.


Here the simple skillion idea allows for a roughly north (east) facing roof for a series of solar panels for power generation yet to be hidden from the street view.

We eventually decided upon dropping the lovely dramatic side skillion roof and just go with one overall large skillion roof to the rear and to raise the whole of the front yard up to a usable outdoor level and to include a blade wall that would shield the view to the south west to hide the not so aesthetic recent additions to the house next door and to shelter the exposed outdoor area along the front from the harsher southern heavier wind and rains.
Let's make the side access carport a bit more formal and secure.
Bringing the whole house to the one level and building it all square to itself does simplify the layout but we still have to contend with the steep changing levels of the sandhill.



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And so we wait, to see whether and where this project will progress to. It's been an exciting but tough journey for Grandesign because the site is has presented very challenging questions and the brief has had to change in big ways to adapt to the clients changing needs.




Wednesday, December 30, 2020

Two Storey home in the burbs.





















The purchase of an existing family home (for demolition) on a corner lot allows for a subdivision and the sale of a spare lot to help finance the build of a new double storey family home positioned to take best advantage of it's northern side.  The existing high fence line is kept allowing full privacy of the living courtyard with a pool in the front yard making full private use of the large intruding front setbacks instead of wasting it in front garden.  This brings all our outdoor open space together in a larger usable area.  The rear of the building has minimum setbacks, enough for a concealed drying area.
Clients wanted the entry to one street whilst the garage is accessed from the side street. The porch walk forms the division between public accessible space to the front door and the corner gardens, fenced off from the private spaces.

The look is regal, quiet but confident understatement. The client has a home office that overlooks the front garden and entry. The house faces the east so smaller windows that are less vulnerable to sun penetration when you don't want it and a pergola for deciduous planting to protect a larger living room window all create a sense of privacy whilst ensuring a better energy use and comfort outcome for the home.


Inside the home opens up to large spaces with living areas on the northern side with large windows to capture winter sun and allow deep entry into the home. 

  • Large lounge, with additional large theatre room upstairs overlooking the pool
  • Large dining area with kitchen having a hidden scullery and pantry area overlooking the pool
  • Master suite with large WIR and ensuite
  • 2 large bedrooms with their own bathroom and toilet
  • Additional guest suite and study downstairs.
  • Alfresco area with balcony above overlooking the pool
  • Laundry with large linen cupboards
  • Double garage

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Unfortunately the quality of my images has been negatively affected by Autodesk making changes to their rendering system and not for the better.  They've done if a number of times without really improving their product. I am quite distressed by it.  However it has made me finally give up on doing everything in the one package and experiment with other solutions.

In exploring solutions that I hope to be a part of future offerings for Grandesign projects I created these walkthroughs of this home but they are very amateur and poor quality.  I have much to learn.  Walk around and inside  Walk around outside  

This video is a fixed camera showing how the sun does not enter the home in summer, keeping the heat out, but in winter, the sun floods the home during the day bringing in lots of warmth and light.  This is a premium intention in my design philosophy, to create a comfortable home that reduces the need for heating and cooling because the correct orientation and placement of windows ensures the environment works for and with you, even inside the house.  Sun Study






Friday, November 27, 2020

Additional Room for existing double storey home.

 


The existing home required some internal additions of rooms to including a new master suite and two new bedrooms for upstairs and a rendering of the existing brick walls for a new painted facade to give it a fresh face.

Monday, October 12, 2020

Sweet simple two storey home overlooking the forest.

This home on a new subdivision on the edge of a country town very well known as a holiday tourist destination overlooks national forest.  The client brief required separate access to a self contained master suite which may be used as a bed and breakfast during the tourist season but the clients will enjoy the main view with their living area upstairs in an open living dining kitchen space with vaulted ceilings and a balcony.
The upstairs space also exists to the north side to a landing and stairs down to the backyard and a second alfresco area which adjoins the guest suite.

Windows on the north side with an eave will allow winter penetration of sun whilst excluding summer sun however the large window to the east will be an issue.  Beautiful for sun rises over the forest but may need some thick curtains to prevent overheating the home early on a summer day.
This compromise is often necessary when a fantastic outlook is not 'to the north' and you want more glass to a less than ideal 

Another two bedrooms on the ground floor share a bathroom.
There is a garage for one car, space behind for another vehicle and a parking space in front of the garage and to the side to allow a little extra parking.