13
EACH WALL OF TALL
DOORS COMPRISES
SIX PANES OF GLASS
SPANNING A SEVEN
METRE WIDE OPENING.
THERE’S A CONNECTION
BETWEEN THOSE
OPENINGS. THEY CAN
BE OPENED TO PROVIDE
AN EXCEPTIONALLY DEEP
ROOM THAT EMBRACES
THIS FANTASTIC SETTING.
Philip Dingemanse, Architect
Your glass selection really permits results that weren’t
possible that long ago. It’s mainly double-glazed units
featuring Viridian product?
That’s right. All of the glazing—doors, windows are double
glazed units using Viridian ThermoTech™ Grey and Clear.
Those selections work exceptionally well in terms of colour
matching the steel envelope, thermal performance and that
ability to bring the landscape inside. With regards to glass,
Viridian ThermoTech™ Grey is used in specific west-facing,
or north-west facing openings, where because of the sheer
scale of the glass, there was potential for overheating. Then
there’s a subtle linking with the tone of glass and cladding.
Glass becomes an integral part of the façade to provide
very balanced light levels and overall aesthetic reading
of the building.
Your interiors dissolve formality and hierarchy.
It’s a singular, continuous object on the valley edge. The
principal design strategy is focused on the kitchen where
a generous opening is made through the full depth of
the building. The suggestion is that the valley remains
continuous through the house with outdoor living areas on
either side accommodating variable weather conditions.
And the cranked plan and splayed metal work?
Parts of the building are pulled away to form protective
wings and reveal the habitation of the home. Tasmanian
timbers are a particular focus in the thresholds between
inside and outside, while the textural qualities of materials
are further celebrated in the interior. The dark façade has
elements to make shielding wings with the exposed parts
visually light, permitting sun to penetrate the building.
The kitchen is your virtual control center.
Essentially, the built form is quite a blank, dark object that
is pierced through the middle. This provides the key living
space focused around the kitchen. The whole scheme
is focused around that. It’s also a budget response. This
lends itself to saying: “We put all the focus into the main
living areas—the kitchen and the lounge room. The rest of
the house, the more utilitarian areas, are actually done as
efficiently and minimally as possible, yet still provide the
core functional requirements.”
Left: View from living room towards central
kitchen with simple shelf divider.