The Brass House New South Wales, Newcastle Home, NSW Residence Photos, Australian Architecture
The Brass House in Newcastle, Australia
Contemporary Luxury Real Estate Development in NSW design by anthrosite architects, Australia
16 May 2020
The Brass House, New South Wales
Architects: anthrosite
Location: Newcastle, NSW, Australia
The Brass House
The site is situated within an atypical urban / rural condition. To the western front boundary addresses a 60km/h road connecting neighbouring headland communities with the city centre. To the east; a state conservation area bordering a secluded beach.
Addressing these opposing conditions was a key consideration in the development of a central covered outdoor living room; the Garden Room. Providing relief from the vehicular traffic and oriented to capture distant filtered ocean views and the native bushland setting.
The terrain of the site informed both the building setout and planning opportunities. Set on an existing ridge form, the building follows the existing ground stepping down to create direct internal relationships with the outdoors whilst providing internal separation through subtle changes in level.
Given the site’s bushland setting, the design had to address bushfire requirements. An informed response minimised the impact of BAL 40 requirements to back of house areas and allowed living spaces to be uncompromising by standard controls.
Key design briefing requirements included: kitchen as the heart of the home, covered outdoor area engaging the landscape, children and adult bedroom separation and a valued entry experience.
Throughout the design process, the importance and impact the landscape; whether native or constructed, has been an emphasis of the design. Each room is oriented and framed towards a garden to enhance the experience and relationship between indoor and outdoor.
The belief of anthrosite architects in an economic hierarchy allows for the right balance between cost and value to be achieved. They believe the primary investment should be made to spaces and items which impact the users on a daily basis. At Brass House, the design revolves around the Garden Room, the value of custom detailed, timber windows and doors, brickwork and in-situ concrete elements soften through native landscaping.
For the interiors, built-in joinery is carefully crafted and enhanced through a white neutral pallet to strength the landscape experience.
Without exhausting the budget external enclosure details; claddings, flashing and rainwater goods etc. which impact users on a peripheral level have been simplified. Utilising standard products, materials are simply crafted and finished dark monochromic to sit within the native bush context.
Design is a process. Each project is a result of an understanding of the site; conditions and constrains, of working with people, engaging the client, with consultants, contractors and craftsmen, of collaboration to achieve outcomes not originally foreseen. Brass House follows this philosophy. The design outcome is a result of an informed response to these numerous threads.
Set within a bushland setting, Brass house is conceived as a series of garden rooms engaging both native and constructed landscapes to enhance the lived experience of place.
What is the conceptual framework of the project – including underlying principles, values, sustainable initiatives, core ideas and/or philosophy?
Brass House is the result of design process: understanding the site; conditions and constrains, engaging the client, of collaboration with consultants, builders and craftsmen to achieve an outcomes not originally foreseen.
What contribution does the design make to the lives of the inhabitants?
The design has enhanced the sense of family unity. With two young children, comfort and ease in everyday living are importance considerations. Living spaces are designed with clear visual connectivity between spaces, allowing kids to play indoor/ outdoor whilst maintaining surveillance from multiple rooms.
Another importance contribution is the new ability to host events. Connectivity between the living spaces and covered Garden Room allows for all weather events to take place.
What is the relationship of the built form to the context of the project?
Set on an existing ridge form, the building follows the existing ground stepping down to create direct internal relationships with the outdoors whilst providing internal separation through subtle changes in level.
Program resolution – how does the functional performance match the clients’ brief?
From the initial project briefing discuss, functional performance requirements were critical to the formation of the built diagram. Key design briefing requirements included: kitchen as the heart of the home, covered outdoor area engaging the landscape, children and adult bedroom separation and the emphasis of a memorable entry arrival experience.
Integration of allied disciplines – how have the contributions of others, including architects, interior designers, landscape architects, builders and other specialists, helped achieve the outcome?
Over 150 construction drawings and 300 plus sketch drawings were produced to assist the contractor and craftsmen delivery the project. Working directly with the carpenters, bricklayers, joiners, stonemason, concreter, stair and handrail makers, plasterers and A/C contractors; to name a few meaningful contributors, allowed relationships to be built and collaborations resulting in a richer outcome.
anthrosite architects value the collaboration with landscape architects. From conception the design has been considered an extension of the surrounding native landscape. Apart from the softscape design, planted rocky drainage swales and subtle terrain shaping where important contributions both LA, landscape and earthworks contractors and made to the project.
Cost/value outcome – how effective were the decisions related to financial issues?
Primary investment is made to spaces and items that impact the users on a daily basis.
As the design revolves around the Garden Room, investment in material and detail are seen through custom detailed timber windows and doors, brickwork and in-situ concrete elements soften through native landscaping. Interiors, built-in joinery are carefully crafted and enhanced through a white neutral pallet to strength the landscape experience.
External enclosure details, which impact the users on a peripheral level are simplified. Utilising standard products, materials are simply crafted and finished dark monochromic to sit within the native bush context.
Photography: Jon Reid
The Brass House in Newcastle, Australia images / information received 300418
Location: Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
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