ArchShowcase 
Sumit Singhal
Sumit Singhal loves modern architecture. He comes from a family of builders who have built more than 20 projects in the last ten years near Delhi in India. He has recently started writing about the architectural projects that catch his imagination. Hidden Studio in Byron Bay, Australia by Harley Graham ArchitectsNovember 23rd, 2018 by Sumit Singhal
Article source: Harley Graham Architects ‘Hidden Studio’ sits amongst the trees on a 20 acre property at Coopers Shoot. This is part of a rural ridgeline that looks over the scoop of ocean that is Byron Bay. The owners, Steve and Colleen, have lived on the property for 22 years. Their existing home and writers cabin on the same property was designed by Ian Mckay, the accomplished ‘Sydney School’ architect who sadly passed away in 2015. We had spent a bit of time with Ian in his later years and the starting point for the design was to respect and learn from the existing structures he had designed on the site. The primary house and writers cabin had a clarity of structure with the repetition of expressed portal frames forming the skeleton for a ‘linear plan’. This informed the beginning of our design process.  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson
 Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson The studio brief was to create a guest pavilion, that whilst co located with the existing dwelling, remained private and concealed from view. Conceptually the studio was imagined as a place of refuge, akin to a raised cave or rock shelf, eaten out by waves. Sensitivity to the existing littoral rainforest was foremost and careful consideration given to the insertion of this new structure within it. In balancing this relationship between forest and insertion, the cabin exterior adopted a tough aesthetic. Stainless steel grates underfoot and corten steel wrapping the southern facade were deliberate measures, employed to control and enhance the entry sequence. Upon entry this tough exterior shrouded in forest gives way to magnificent rolling mountain views dotted with weatherboard farm houses, and framed by the pacific ocean beyond.  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson The orientation of the studio was carefully considered on site. By nestling the structure within the existing forest, the large glass façade could be protected from low morning sun whilst capturing desireable northern winter sun as the day progressed. In addition to the climatic considerations, mediation of privacy levels of both cabin and residence was key. It was critical to create a space that was both hidden in the trees, and open to the view.  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson The studio was approved as a Secondary dwelling, a 60m 2 living space with 1 bedroom and small bathroom. We worked closely with engineer Phil Wallace and builder Gary Harvey from concept to detail on the project. Key decisions to push external walls outside of the portal frames and using portions of fixed glazing allowed the structure of the studio to be expressed within the space. By having an angled ‘crank’ in the portals, the roof appears to float over the pavilion forming a large protective plate. The project came in on budget at $350,000. The generous budget ($4000/m2) enabled use of hardwood throughout, giving warmth to the internal space. The clients are thrilled with the outcome of this project, housing friends and holidayers regularly. The guest bookings have exceeded their initial expectations, and the occupancy rate already higher than average for a studio in ‘the hills’.  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson Sustainability: The studio has no air conditioning, rather it makes use of natural ventilation. The northern orientation harnesses good passive solar gains, an outcome carefully crafted through simulations and sun studies undertaken early in the design process. The house runs on a 5KW pv system with battery backup. All roof water is recycled into a 10’000ltr tank that is filtered and fed back into the studio for every purpose from drinking water to toilet flushing. The studio has been designed to have a low maintenance exterior that can essentially be washed down when needed. Timber: Timber played an important role in the project. Except for the ceiling and bathroom floor, the whole interior of the studio has been clad in hardwood. Blackbutt wraps from the floor up the back wall as well as being used for all of the kitchen, living and bathroom joinery. The hardwood adds warmth, sensuality and consistency to the space and transforms the space into a warm glove which opens to the elements.  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson Promotional Summary: ‘Hidden Studio’ sits amongst the trees on a 20 acre property at Coopers Shoot. An existing house and writers cabin on the same property designed by the accomplished ‘Sydney School’ architect Ian Mckay, became the starting point for this new insertion. Respecting the existing structures on site was key. The clarity of structure and repetition of expressed portal frames which form the skeleton for a ‘linear plan’ informed the studio design. The brief was to create a guest pavilion that remained private and concealed from view. Conceptually the studio was imagined as a place of refuge, akin to a raised cave or rock shelf, eaten out by waves. By nestling the structure within the existing forest, the cabin space achieved both privacy and unparalleled vistas, now enjoyed by friends and family of the clients as well as holiday makers to Byron Bay.  Image Courtesy © Andy McPherson  Image Courtesy © Harley Graham Architects  Image Courtesy © Harley Graham Architects
Contact Harley Graham Architects
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||
|
|||||
email
Facebook
Twitter
RSS Feed
