Pittwater House 1
2002 Guringai Country / Pittwater, NSW
Interconnected pavilions reveal views and protect against winds.
Built as a summer house to accommodate a large extended family, the house was conceived of as a set of interconnected weathered timber-clad pavilions, linked by casual living spaces, wrapping a protected north-east facing courtyard.
A Coastal Home Oriented to Site and Climate
Orientation captures the panorama while form shields against prevailing breezes.
Sited on an exposed sandy spit on Pittwater, on the lower reaches of the Hawkesbury River estuary, to Sydney’s north, the house at once absorbs the panoramic views to the south-west, and turns its back on the often chilling breezes that sweep across that body of water.
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“The protected courtyard is afforded water views via opposing sliding glass doors of the casual living room. Individual families within the larger clan are able to retreat to discreet sleeping rooms in each pavilion.”
The naturally weathered timber cladding (made from a species known as Kwila, a Forest Stewardship Council accredited hardwood) is set 40mm off the face of the building.
Featuring open joints, it acts as a rain and sun screen (a technique pioneered by award-winning Queensland architect Gerard Murtagh) affording the building a remarkably moderate temperature throughout summer and winter.
Pittwater House 1 Gallery
| Project info | Details |
|---|---|
| Team | Sam Crawford, Heike Rewitzer, Ashley Dunn, Lay-Mon Thuang |
| Builder | Gunlake |
| Consultants | Acoustic Engineer: Renzo Tonin & Assoc, Basset Acoustics Coastal Engineer: Patterson Britton & Partners Geotechnical Engineer: GHD Hydraulic Engineer: Acor Consulting Landscape Architect: Jane Irwin Landscape Architects Land Surveyor: Dunlop Thorpe & Co Mechanical Engineer: RJB Quantity Surveyor: BDA Structural Engineer: Randall Jones |
| Council | Pittwater |
| Photographer | Eric Sierens, Max Dupain & Assoc |
| Completion | 2002 |
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