Australia: Bay House by Castlepeake Architect

 Longueville, New South Wales, Australia

Architecture and Design: Castlepeake Architects

Landscape: Somewhere Landscape Architects

Photos  ©  Felix Mooneeram

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Castlepeake Architects:

"The site sits at the end of a narrow access lane well below the main street level. The terrain is steep and looks across Woodford Bay to uninterrupted views of the harbour bridge and city skyline. The existing house had a poor sense of entry and lacked efficient horizontal and vertical circulation paths. Its arrangement did not take full advantage of the attributes of the site including access to view and winter sunlight. 

The alterations address these issues through re-modelling the carport and entry which include the addition of an internal stair and a lift which efficiently access the lower sections of the house. 

The main living level is elongated to the north and south, cantilevering from the existing masonry base below it so that views to the east are maximised. It is pulled away from the structure to the west to create a sunny and protected courtyard adjacent to the main living space. The alignment of this protected area continues southwards through the house to include stairs and an internal courtyard which provide light deep into the inside of the house. 

Warm oak tones complement the black stone and polished concrete of the open plan living at Bay House, creating a striking setting for the client’s art collection.

The roofs are landscaped to provide interest from above and a lap pool is elevated above the ground to be level with the bedroom and rumpus areas. In addition to providing the normal amenity of a pool, its form completes the horizontal composition of the house.

Site area: 559 m²

Built area: 274 m²