* Residential Architecture: Martello Tower Y Residence by Piercy&Company

Residential Architecture: Martello Tower Y Residence by Piercy&Company: “..By restoring an 1802 Martello Tower and converting it to a family home, the principles of conservation were pushed beyond preservation, instead aiming to breathe new life into the ‘at risk’ structure..Strategically the intention was to clearly differentiate the old and the new, avoiding pastiche, with the contemporary insertions touching the original fabric as lightly as possible; allowing the heavily textured masonry to be the star.  Designed to be extremely sensitive to the monument and its setting, the new curving roof extension and re-sculpted interior seek to gain creative momentum from the tension between modern requirements and the need for heritage conservation..Converting a Napoleonic era defence tower built in 1808 into a 21st Century private residence was a demanding brief. As a Scheduled Monument on the At Risk register and located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the planning negotiations were matched in complexity by the on-site logistics. Ultimately however, the conversion won the support of English Heritage who heralded it as an exemplar of how to convert significant historical buildings..Materials and Construction: The tower’s fabric comprises 750,000 bricks but the quality of their construction was not immediately evident. As it was revealed, it set the standard for the design. The new roof is a 3D curved lightweight structure, constructed of steel and laminated plywood, tethered by five pairs of Macalloy bars. A detailed 3D model was used to create 2D cutting patterns for off-site manufacture.  A skirt of frameless curved glass below the roof expresses the distinction between old and new as well as providing 360 degree views. The roof, set back to minimize visual impact, is clad in a single ply membrane with three roof lights. The system is elemental as it had to be stored and installed from the gun platform..In order to bring light into the basement, six 450mm diameter holes were diamond-core drilled through 4.5m of fully bonded brickwork from just inside the window reveals into the magazine bedroom, utility, bunk room and bathrooms. The two other bedrooms have 60mm holes for ‘Camera Obscura’ views of the countryside to the southwest and northwest..200mm diameter holes were drilled from the top of the parapet to meet the passive ventilation system leading to the ground floor and basement. These brick ducts provide routes for water, electricity, gas for the kitchen and heating to the roof. They also accommodate the supply and exhaust ducts for the heat recovery ventilation system in the basement and ground floors..”  Extraordinary restoration and conversion of a defense tower in the UK; ample glazing, natural light, views; interesting fenestration including skylights; interesting materiality and interior volumes..

designalog : contact

image: © Edmund Sumner; article: “Martello Tower Y / Piercy&Company” 04 Dec 2012. ArchDaily. <http://www.archdaily.com/301773&gt;

* Residential Architecture: House Aboobaker by Nico van der Meulen Architects

Residential Architecture: House Aboobaker by Nico van der Meulen Architects: “..After careful consideration, the client approached our company to redesign and style their outdated home in Limpopo, South Africa. It is situated on the Tropic of Capricorn where the heat is excessive, particularly in the summer months, and requires specialized treatment in ensuring an alteration and addition that will take these factors into consideration.. The brief was to transform the look of the existing visually unattractive face brick house with vaulted roofs, small windows to something stunning and modern..Special attention was paid to the street façade to create an inviting entrance with a water feature. The client also requested a new guest bedroom on first floor, to open up the living areas, and redesign the bedroom section which had an ‘old school’ style long dark passage. It was a very ‘unusual’ style house, a mix of varied design styles, vaulted roof with heavy masonry, making it uncomfortably hot to live in, and unattractive to look at and not been well designed..The size of the stand is 1132 sq.m., and the existing single storey house was a total of 343 sq.m. An additional 151 sq.m was added and the alterations internally were extensive. Extensive use was made of steel in varied forms, and large expanse of opening glass and double volume areas, to allow as much natural light in as possible, with sun control to allow sun into the house only in winter as well as a lightweight, well insulated structure that cools down fast in the evening, thereby enhancing the feeling of space while creating natural cooling through the use of water features and the pool..Werner ‘opened up’ the existing living rooms, created double volume spaces and within this space designed a magnificent and distinctive staircase which has become a major feature within the home, highlighted by specialized designer lighting. To enable the staircase to “float” Nico came up with a solution of a buried 6 cubic metre concrete block in which the staircase was anchored, removing the 4 steel columns the engineer insisted in placing under it. It was critical to have an open feel to the living rooms, which could open up to fully utilize indoor/outdoor living, integral with the water features and professionally landscaped garden in keeping with their local weather conditions. To this effect frameless folding doors were used extensively, enabling the house to become a verandah when required..As the building system was foreign to the local builders in the area, the architects had to coach them through the construction to ensure the vision created would be realized. The completely separate bedroom wing of the house was opened up to include vast expanses of glass and is accessed by an existing bridge over the existing swimming pool which had glass bricks making it very hot, so it was opened up by fitting glass sliding doors both sides to create cross draught ventilation at all times, and encased in steel horizontal shutters for sun control..The overall design of the exterior was influenced by Rick Joy of Arizona in the USA who specializes in houses that incorporate the use of naturally rusted and sealed corten steel cladding, louvers and the basic structural elements to create a building at home in a temperate climate zone. Initially the client only wanted the front section of the house, which included the entrance hall, living and entertainment areas redesigned, but on presentation of the concept was so taken aback that the decision to then include the bedroom wing and walkway was taken, creating a total overall revamp of a ‘tired’ house to a modern, light and airy, easy living home with the living spaces wrapped around a sparkling swimming pool..The architects in‐house interior design department , M Square Lifestyle Design, run by Phia van der Meulen was responsible for the interior design…The use of exterior louvers influenced the design of the horizontal groove lines on the double volume plaster wall in the dining room, to create interest and character to an otherwise boring wall, which was further enhanced by low horizontal ledges with built in feature fireplace and selected works of art. The paint colours were chosen carefully to complement one another as well as rusted corten steel which added creative interest. The staircase leading up to the first floor was further enhanced by the Floss hanging pendant lights leading the eye vertically towards the double volume ceiling, creating an overall and pleasing integrated area..The swimming pool patio/braai area is encapsulated by a timber horizontally slatted feature wall which wraps up to the underside of the ceiling, beautifully lit and intentionally reflects back into the black painted swimming pool with timber decking surround which creates an illusion of enclosing this space. Furniture was purposely selected to compliment the architecture and interior design, and the brief by client of minimalistic opulence, supplied mainly by Molteni and C, Floss, Kundalini and Royal Britana..”  Interesting form, materiality, details and interior volumes; stylish interior decoration..

See our post on another home by Nico van der Meulen Architects: Residential Architecture: Ber House by Nico van der Meulen Architects.

image + article: Arthitectural

designalog : contact

* Residential Architecture: Abbotsford Residence by Chan Architecture

Residential Architecture: Abbotsford Residence by Chan Architecture: “..This project involved renovating an existing double fronted Edwardian home and adding a rear and first floor extension on a tight site in the inner city suburb of Abbotsford in Melbourne, Australia. Working with numerous site constraints, including an easement running diagonally through the site, large existing trees, a west facing block, site access issues and difficult soil conditions, the response was to create an extension that not only addressed all these issues, but created an integrated solution that responded to these constraints in a creative manner..The curves in the design, in both plan and elevation, were not only a response to the site constraints, but were introduced to create more dynamic, fluid forms, whilst making reference to the bull-nosed, corrugated iron verandah roofs of the typical Edwardian home..The green colours on the rear facade made reference to the colours of the existing Eucalyptus trees on the site, as well as providing a fresh contrast to the other colours on the facade..By varying ceiling heights internally, we were able to let natural light into the house via clerestory windows and an internal courtyard..”  Interesting form, interior volumes, fenestration and materiality..

designalog : contact

image: © Folded Bird Photography (Brendan Finn); article: “Abbotsford Residence / Chan Architecture” 28 Nov 2012. ArchDaily. <http://www.archdaily.com/298817&gt;

* Residential Architecture: Dillon Residence by Chen + Suchart Studio LLC

Residential Architecture: Dillon Residence by Chen + Suchart Studio LLC: “..The Dillon Residence takes the form of a courtyard house typology. It is a remodel and addition to an existing home situated in a 1950’s and 1960’s neighborhood comprised of one-acre horse properties..The original L-shaped form was retained for the main house while a new separate Master Suite volume envelops a newly defined courtyard anchored by a pool on one end. This courtyard serves to promote the outdoors as part of the clients’ daily life. The language of the house takes on a modern language while retaining some of the domestic qualities enjoyed by the clients. The Master Suite is configured as a separate volume and therefore is allowed to establish its own architectural identity that is free from the language of the original L-shaped portion of the house..This portion of the house has been remodeled to take on a more modern means of space-making whereby the program of the living, dining, and family room are treated as one larger space, minimally defined by a kitchen space that floats planimetrically in between..The language of rusted corrugated metal cladding of the roof at the original L-shaped portion of the house is extended to be the wall cladding at the Master Suite. A large gabion wall comprised of local Salt River rock serves as a backdrop to the courtyard space while establishing a thickened wall to afford privacy for this separate volume. The pool is treated as a destination that anchors the courtyard on its North end and can be opened to the courtyard by means of a large sliding gate..”  Interesting materiality and interior volumes; ample glazing, natural light; indoor / outdoor sensibility..

See our post on another home by Dillon Residence by Chen + Suchart Studio LLC: Residential Architecture: Sosnowski Residence by Chen + Suchart Studio, LLC.

designalog : contact

image: © Bill Timmerman of Timmerman Photography; article: “Dillon Residence / Chen + Suchart Studio LLC” 05 Jul 2010. ArchDaily.<http://www.archdaily.com/67259&gt;