... Australia ... Jon Lowe
Jonathan Lowe, South Australia : Glenn Murcutt Master Class 2007
[ private house : sell-build : rural ]
'Angaston Pavilion', Malvern, South Australia
Perched on a steep hill overlooking a quiet country town in South Australia, the Angaston Pavilion is a modest family weekender. Designed to the strict principals of Murcutt modernism – careful siting, truth to materials, and expressed sustainability – the three-bedroom house sits lightly behind a spectacular gum tree, with the structure’s body facing north, using the large foliage as protection from the western sun. With a minimalist palette tied closely to the former stone quarry at the top of the hill, the building echoes its surroundings while remaining open to the views on all sides.
Two large doors slide past the external wall, connecting the living space with the western-facing deck and embracing the stately eucalypt and its passing shadows. Past the kitchen a tiny bathroom, two bedrooms, and a concealed laundry line the corridor, which leads to a main bedroom with ensuite, facing the hilltop to the east. All rooms include north-facing windows, and high awnings that punctuate the formal grid structure and provide natural ventilation. A garage and wine cellar fit neatly within the suspended volume of the main house, keeping the building footprint to a mere 100m2.
The house is supplied with rainwater from three tanks staggered down its southern side, and the solar array and hotwatersystem considerably reduce the impact on the environment.
The material choice has been restricted to reverse veneer concrete block walls with colorbond custom orb lining, polished concrete bondek slab, and native timber window frames, tied together by an efficient steel structure to deliver maximum impact on a tight budget.
The Angaston Pavilion is Jon’s first private project
He now a Senior Architect with Greenway Architects in Adelaide