King Residence | David Boyle Architect

This new house is designed as an elevated platform sitting on top of, and integrating with, a significant rock outcrop at the top of a ridge at Phegans Bay on the Central Coast. A series of stepped platforms meander through the site, and between the rocks, and take advantage of 270 degree views of the twisting headlands surrounding Brisbane Water. The house replaces one of three houses lost in the New Years Day fires 2006 and is constructed to BAL 19- 29 standards. Inspired by the natural beauty of the site and the surrounding national parks the house takes on an organic geometry stretching to the edges of the site and creates a series of external pocket spaces with different aspects and experiences linking to the landscape. These include, a kitchen garden, a terrace under a cantilevered roof, a cave like entry, a yoga platform under the Angophora and terraced linking decks. The building form is monolithic and expressive taking its cues from the rocky outcrops and cantilevered shelves. A terrace is built on remnant block walls and links to an existing pool that is perched like a billabong between the house and the rocks. Passive environmental principals underpin the design. Projecting roof elements create recesses in the façades and when combined with the mature tree canopy provide shading to glazing as appropriate to the various orientations. The multiple aspects to most spaces encourage cross ventilation which is cooled from the body of water surrounding the tree lined headland up to the site. Any breath of breeze can be encouraged by opening windows on various aspects using the Venturi stack effect. Ceiling fans augment cooling and portable gas heaters are used locally when required. Foundation block walls are built directly on top of a bulging rock shelf in the centre of the site. The floor is partly concrete slab for thermal performance and partly framed where it is projected over the pool terrace. Walls are heavily insulated timber frame with minimal use of steel skeleton structure to cater for ease of construction on this difficult site. Low maintenance materials are generally left in their natural state; concrete block, polished concrete, fibre cement with cedar battens, spotted gum cladding and decking, recycled railway sleepers, form ply and zincalume roofing. These natural materials offer a patina over time further linking the house to the site. Contrary to trend this is a small home, tightly planned, thereby minimizing excessive spaces, resource use and disturbance to the natural environment for this young family of 3 to enjoy their life amongst the trees and between the rocks. Sustainable Architecture The site contains many beautiful natural features including dramatic rocky outcrops and mature Angophora trees. Retention of these natural features was a primary consideration and the house has been carefully manipulated to minimize the disturbance to the site and take advantage of the elevated ridge-top aspect. Passive environmental principals underpin the design. Projecting roof elements create recesses in the façades and when combined with the mature tree canopy provide shading to glazing as appropriate to the various orientations. The multiple aspects to most spaces encourage cross ventilation which is cooled from the body of water surrounding the tree lined headland up to the site. Any breath of breeze can be encouraged by opening windows on various aspects using the Venturi stack effect. Ceiling fans augment cooling and portable gas heaters are used locally when required. The house is constructed in a similar location to an existing house that was destroyed in the 2006 New Year Day fires and reuses the remnant block walls of the garage and a concrete pool nestled between the rocks. The house is designed as elevated stepped platforms with foundation block walls built directly on top of a bulging rock shelf. The floor is partly concrete slab for thermal performance and partly framed where it is projected over the pool terrace. Walls are heavily insulated timber frame with minimal use of steel skeleton structure to cater for this difficult site. The house is built to bushfire attack levels BAL19-29 and low maintenance materials are left in their natural state; concrete block, polished concrete, fibre cement with cedar battens, spotted gum cladding and decking and zincalume roofing. Contrary to trend this is a small home, tightly planned, thereby minimizing excessive spaces, resource use and disturbance to the natural environment for this young family of 3.