competition entry for flood resilient timber house
shortlisted
in collaboration with Edmund Limadinata & Amanda Lau
2024, RESILIENT TIMBER HOMES DESIGN COMPETITION
Timber Stilt House
The Timber Stilt House attempts to re-establish residential timber homes as a significant architectural identity in Queensland and
provide opportunity to bolster the local timber industry, serving as a testament to the effectiveness of timber-based construction and stilt design to Queensland in creating environmentally responsible buildings
that consider budgetary constraints and site context.
In comfort and sustainability, the project harnesses light from north and incorporating cross-ventilation, stack effect from clerestory windows, the design optimises natural airflow with ceiling fans and reduces the full reliance on excessive heating and cooling systems.
In line with the Flood Resilient Building Guidance provided by the
Queensland Government agency and the Reducing Vulnerability of Building to Flood Damage published by the NSW Government, the construction of the house utilises water-resilient timber hardwood for floor and stilt construction at flood line.
Additionally, the facade cladding employs charred hardwood timber;
where the sealing and charring maximises the resilience of hardwood
against already water-resistant hardwood. Floor insulation incorporates rigid foam expanded polystyrene, which is waterproof compared to standard batt insulation.
Situated in Brisbane’s high-risk flood and cyclone zone, this project
embraces the distinct vernacular design of Queensland and elevating the entire structure on hardwood stilts, the Timber Stilt House offers an elegant, memorable and beautiful and a spatially functional solution for families seeking a resilient dwelling.
competition entry for flood resilient timber house
awarded Special Commendation
in collaboration with Edmund Limadinata & Amanda Lau
2023, RESILIENT TIMBER HOMES DESIGN COMPETITION
Hardwood Residence
Can a home located in a flood-prone locality be both practical and beautiful, built primarily with timber while ensuring unparalleled comfort, functionality, and desirability?
Situated in South Australia, the design of the house prioritises passive heating and cooling strategies, by harnessing north light from the street front and bringing light towards southern backyard and bringing comfort to the occupants.
Following the Flood Resilient Building Guidance and the Reducing Vulnerability of Building to Flood Damage documents, the construction of the house utilises water resilient timber hardwood for stud framework. The facade cladding employs charred-hardwood timber; where the sealing and charring maximises the resilience of hardwood against already water resistant hardwood.
Additionally, the wall insulation is rigid foam insulation, which is water-resistant compared to standard batt insulation. To ensure quick drainage, the windows feature integrated louvers strategically positioned for efficient water runoff. Moreover, the internal wall lining and cabinetry utilises sealed marine plywood, commonly used in maritime and naval construction, offering additional flood-resistant properties.
At its very core, the project is crafted to provide a beautiful, biophilic, comfortable, functional, resilient and lasting home for the family, through utilising hardwood timber as material both as finishing material with charred hardwood cladding, marine plywood internally and studwork structural construction with spotted gum or blackbutt stands in resilience against flood and with biophilic qualities for this project, thus aptly bears the name Hardwood Residence.
also known as HIGHAM ROAD HOUSE
completed alterations & additions residence
in association under Philip Stejskal Architecture
2021, NORTH FREMANTLE
Builder: Portrait Custom Homes
Photographer: Bo Wong
Awarded the WA AIA Peter Overman Award for Residential Architecture 2022
Awarded the Winner of Architeam Awards 2022 Residential Alterations & Additions over $1m
Shortlisted for Houses Award Alterations & Additions over 200 sqm
A central courtyard has been located at the heart of the design, providing direct garden access to the main living areas which trace its perimeter with butterfly roof admitting northern light. A series of split levels allow the home to engage with its sloping site and ensure it is well embedded in its context.
Although the home is sizeable, there is a high degree of visual and spatial interconnection between levels and spaces, with the ability to isolate respective zones as required.
The use of painted fibre-cement & corrugated metal cladding, weatherboard and exposed timber hark back to the twofold history of early and mid 20th century Fremantle. All materials are present in the immediate locality and are robust and climatically responsive.
in association under Philip Stejskal Architecture
2017, WEMBLEY DOWNS
Builder: RK Brine
Photographer: Bo Wong
Model Photographer: Robert Frith
A new house in a leafy suburb of Perth, replacing the owner’s original home previously on the same block. An existing terraced garden the link to what was there before. This forms the focus of the new home, which begins as a double storey west-facing block with outdoor northern void and entry void recessed into the block, providing internal spaces diffused light. And at the lower garden level, the house embraces to bring the outside in.
in association under Philip Stejskal Architecture
2017, SCARBOROUGH
Builder: Haven Construction
Photographer: Roger D’Souza
Model Photographer: Robert Frith
A new house on the leeward side of a beach-side dune in Scarborough.
Three storeys each interact with distinct aspects of the site. The house engages with the street through the gesture of a courtyard, which collects northern light and sea breeze. A bay window frames distant views and closer views down to the pool. Below, a family room cuts into the dune and opens out toward the backyard. Above, the master bedroom and study connect further afield and lead to a turret, a viewing platform that looks out toward the Indian Ocean.
completed two storey residential / office addition
in association under Philip Stejskal Architecture
2019, SOUTH FREMANTLE
Builder: Capozzi Building
Photographer (daytime): Dion Robeson
Finalist of Commercial 2020 Architeam Awards
Shortlisted to 2020 The Work Space INDE Awards
Winner of WA Lighting Award, 2020 WA Architecture Awards
Originally as a shop, then as a home, now re-modelled as a series of flexible spaces to serve as a temporary residence for the owners with the ability to switch to an office in a few years.
Insertion of a floating mezzanine home-office space, pulled back from the edges of the building to admit daylight to the ground floor and to introduce spatial connection between the levels.
Internally, a monochrome interior predominates to provide a neutral backdrop to the clients’ collection of objects and art, and calmness in smaller spaces.
in association under Philip Stejskal Architecture 2017, FREMANTLE
Builder: D&L Building Photographer: Bo Wong
Winner of Residential New 2018 Architeam Awards Commendation to 2018 Houses Awards Winner of Residential Architecture (New Houses), 2018 WA Architecture Awards
A home that provides a place of recuperation and solace, yet is equally enmeshed within the diverse suburb of Fremantle. A robust house with a sense of grounding, a constancy in contrast to the flux of the owner’s fly-in fly-out profession.
A compact home spiralling from an introverted perforated grey brick base and trellis garden, upward through a light-filled first floor, to a roof-level terrace, which connects the dwelling to its surrounds.
in association under Philip Stejskal Architecture
2018, KENSINGTON
Builder: Assemble
Photographer: Roger D’Souza
Model Photographer: Rob Frith
An addition that is separated from the existing cottage by a brick link that pauses between the two built elements – both spatial and chronological – tailored to owner’s salvaged bricks.
The addition: a timber-framed carved into from its northern diagonal point, going west, creating a reveal that protects glazing from the summer sun, fitted with rotatable fins and battens for sun and privacy.
Climbing plants to claim this structure over time — connecting the garden and roof terrace; that is positioned and curtailed to reduce overlooking, yet pointed towards the view of the city.
An airy and light-filled extension with a focus on the verdant garden and borrowed vegetation further afield.
in association under Philip Stejskal Architecture
2019, COTTESLOE
Landscape Architect: ATLAS
Builder: Portrait Custom Homes
Photographer: Bo Wong
A house for a young family with a love for the beach, water-sports, cooking and community. The concept for the design was built around a certain nostalgia: … memories of barefoot journeys across hot dunes, surfboards under arm, sinking into sand, low silver bushes scraping at ankles, anticipation of the water palpable.
We imagined such a journey across our clients’ site, itself formerly the leeward slope of the final dune before the sea, wanting to design the home around the narrative of this lazy meandering, this quintessentially Australian journey.
So we described a path across the site, up the hill, and built the house around it.
An open carport at street level allows physical passage as well as visual access under and through to the garden, itself a gentle upward slope with endemic vegetation and orientation to secure generous northern aspect to the internal spaces.
The house situates itself around this central garden, with views back down the slope to the street, connecting private living spaces with the wider community context.
A second garden space exists to the west, with the main living room having access to both.
The house is designed to allow a casual and carefree lifestyle. Materials seek to imbue the home with a robustness required for everyday life, yet also a softness and flexibility — dappled light and blurred boundaries.
