This house is sited at the foot of the southern escarpment just north of Wollongong in Coledale NSW. With stringent geo-technical and bush fire requirements the house creates a warm and safe family enclave amongst the rain forest. A spectacular rising parabolic roof traces a line from the rainforest canopy down to the human scale front of house. But it also creates the opportunity to take the house from a one-storey pavilion to a three- level tree house. The concept diagram for the house might be a cupped hand, aimed away from adversaries and towards the sun. Architecturally this translates to a cranked building form, hinged around a covered deck and spilling out into a sun filled garden. In Coledale, the winter sun sets behind the clifftops as early as 2.30pm, so the hand is towards the east effectively winding back the solar clock a couple of hours.
The project was commissioned as part of a mid-career sea change with the aim of relocating a young family and a family business from Sydney’s inner west. Assisted by a free geometry and generous site area, the house is indeed very liveable. The way the family has inhabited and appropriated the house and site affirms its success.
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