the the autumn issue colour report

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "the the autumn issue colour report"

Valentine Warner
5 years ago
Views:

1 the autumn issue the colour report the autumn issue trends, palettes and colour of the year PLUS the straw bale house how prefab rescued an island build DIY, kitchens and bathrooms the ned chair in profile: base architecture steel versus timber the crazy house at the end of the street cladding on the inside why not?

10 14 40 52 06 editor s letter Could this be Nirvana?

10 wishlist Green carpet, the Ned chair, Nest vessels,

14 green building show Light Home s podcast series

24 ambassador s choice Our ambassadors discuss the straw

award-winning team at Base Architecture.

That s how the neighbours describe this home and

80 steal that idea Why should cladding only be used outdoors?

64 the colour trend report Colour of the year, trend of the

report is an ode to the bright and beautiful.

art director Elinor McDonald. journalist Carlos Martinez.

contributors Clinton Cole, Peter Jongen, Andrea Sophocelous,

published by lighthome.com.au. Sponsored by Scyon.

information presented in this issue of Light Home is accurate

2 editor s letter Could this be Nirvana? 08 despatches Ford details five easy ways to go green. 10 wishlist Green carpet, the Ned chair, Nest vessels, outdoor beanbag and the Elliot coat stand. 14 green building show Light Home s podcast series investigates DIY, colour, and kitchen and bathroom design. 24 ambassador s choice Our ambassadors discuss the straw bale, off-grid Lakeside Residence, and prefab marvel, Dangar Island House. 38 this v that Framing? What s better: timber or steel? 40 in profile: covering every base Think outside the box and don t fear new challenges: that s the philosophy behind the award-winning team at Base Architecture. 52 breaking the rules The crazy house. That s how the neighbours describe this home and owner/designer Brendan Haese couldn t be happier. 80 steal that idea Why should cladding only be used outdoors? This living room says otherwise. 64 the colour trend report Colour of the year, trend of the year, palettes of the year: Light Home s inaugural colour report is an ode to the bright and beautiful. editor Amanda Falconer. managing editor Victoria Lea. art director Elinor McDonald. journalist Carlos Martinez. videographer & editor Pat Sidoti. proofreader Adam Scroggy. contributors Clinton Cole, Peter Jongen, Andrea Sophocelous, Penni Sutton. letters to editor@lighthome.com.au. published by lighthome.com.au. Sponsored by Scyon. All reasonable efforts have been undertaken to make sure that information presented in this issue of Light Home is accurate at the time of release. In some of the projects in this magazine, James Hardie products may have been used outside the scope of James Hardie s technical literature. It is the specifier s responsibility to undertake specific design and detailing to ensure construction complies with relevant codes and regulations.

3 editor s letter You asked, we answered! C olour. It s in every blink of our eye, every waking moment of our lives. And it s in every choice we make as consumers, designers, builders of our own reality. Welcome to the Light Home colour issue. Yes, we are still green, when green amounts to eco, and you ll find plenty of eco here. There s green thinking (p8), green products (p10), green learnings (p14) and green design (p24). But what is green without other colour? What is eco without vision? This issue we ve also collected some seminal stories. We profile a house that only wants to be crazy (p52), an architectural practice mad for mad clients (p40) and every trend you need to know in our special colour report (p64). Colour: it naturally exists, it s endlessly flexible, it makes us happy. It is either nirvana or something very close to it. Happy reading, Send your comments to editor@lighthome.com.au Hi, My name is Tamsyn. I am 11 years old and in year 6. My year has an assignment to construct a mini energy efficient house and research about it. I am really struggling and have only got a little bit done. It is due in 1 week from now. I would really appreciate some expert help. Tamsyn Tamsyn, see Episode 6 of the Green Building Show where we speak to Steven King from the University of New South Wales. He s got some great tips on energy efficiency. Hi, I m looking to build a weatherboard style home in Sydney, but I m struggling to find the right builder. Do you know any builders in the Sydney area who specialise in this type of construction? Rosie Rosie, see Episode 12 of the Green Building Show, where we hear from Melissa Lueckl, co-owner at G.J. Gardner Homes North Sydney, which specialises in lightweight construction. But also do a postcode search in the find a builder directory on the Light Home website. I m building my new home in Newcastle but I haven t yet made my decision on cladding materials and need some help. Does James Hardie have a product available so I can see what the cladding is going to look like when it s finished? Jane Jane, ask your builder or designer to show you your plans in 3D using Accel. lighthome 7

4 in profile Base Architecture covering every base Think outside the box, don t fear new challenges and above all listen to the client: that s the philosophy behind the award-winning team at Base Architecture. Words: Carlos Martinez Photography: Christopher Frederick Jones The Base Architecture team lighthome 41

Open and frank engagement with clients will get you everywhere. So believes Shawn Godwin, director of one of the country s most awarded and envelope-pushing practices, Base Architecture.

5 Open and frank engagement with clients will get you everywhere. So believes Shawn Godwin, director of one of the country s most awarded and envelope-pushing practices, Base Architecture. And it will get you everywhere because the benefits of breaking down the traditional barriers between architects, consultants and clients are multiple. At the end of the day, the client comes to us for our expertise and knowledge to produce buildings and spaces that their lifestyles demand, Godwin says. But we social design Base Architecture has made a strong move into the social media realm with a Facebook app aimed at generating interaction with clients and allowing users to Create their own space and even share it with friends. Godwin says the app is an ideal first step for anyone who has not yet made up their mind on what they want from their design as it helps them identify the perfect space for their lifestyle. The app, featured on Base s website and Facebook page, takes users through a number of interactive steps to help them map out the layout of their ideal home, which the user can then have ed to them. need to be careful that we don t become too egotistical about this and shut them out of the design process. The Base solution is to take a collaborative approach, including open discussions with all stakeholders, which Godwin says gives the client a sense of ownership and ultimately creates a better finished product. Open discussions allow you to air any dirty laundry, he says. A lot of people tend to hold things back, which can prevent a design from flowing. But it s amazing what can come out of quieter people when we empower them and listen. Godwin believes Base s educational role helps inform not only the consumer but also the greater industry about what it means to create great design. With some of the bigger project builders, the way they approach their design is entirely different to us, Godwin says. With them it s about the latest European appliance, and people get instilled into them that that s what they need. Sure you need to have somewhere to cook and wash your clothes, but to us good design is about how the spaces relate and interact with each other, he explains. Once you get the spaces right, you can fit anything into them. Godwin adds that he feels a sense of responsibility toward the people who don t realise what they can get from their homes, and that all it can often require is a frank conversation. Too many people will just accept the first thing that s shown, he says. So it s our job to put the ideas on the table and show them what s really possible. Shawn Godwin open discussions allow you to air any dirty laundry lighthome 43

Project 1: WARRAN road Even a glimpse of the Warran Road home reveals that Base clearly nailed its brief of creating a low-maintenance, artistic design with a relaxed beach house feel.

click to view more images in our picture gallery we were really able to get that beach shack component while keeping within the low budget and low maintenance requirements The clien t was absolutely

She trusted us in what we did and had obviously done enough research on why she chose us. So it was a really delightful project to work on.

6 Project 1: WARRAN road Even a glimpse of the Warran Road home reveals that Base clearly nailed its brief of creating a low-maintenance, artistic design with a relaxed beach house feel. Seated in a relaxed beachside community and nestled amongst heavily wooded foliage, Godwin says the Warran Road home s success came down to the client s trust in the Base team. click to view more images in our picture gallery we were really able to get that beach shack component while keeping within the low budget and low maintenance requirements The clien t was absolutely awesome from day one, Godwin says. She was an artist who wanted to create an art piece that was also functional. She trusted us in what we did and had obviously done enough research on why she chose us. So it was a really delightful project to work on. Designed with adaptability and a beach lifestyle in mind, Warran Road s artistic beach shack look was achieved by creating the entire upper level with James Hardie HardieFlex sheet and dressed rosewood timber as a batten cover strip. And its distinct form stems directly from its unique intended use. The upper level and lower level are designed to function as two separate dwellings, allowing the lower level to be used as a holiday rental while the owner can still occupy the upper level. To make use of the entire house when accommodating guests, the conversion is simple: just one large sliding door allows the extended family to happily occupy both levels. The site and its surrounds represented a unique challenge for Base. The area is prone to flooding, which could potentially leave the entire site inundated with water (an obstacle that apparently excited the client, according to Godwin). After careful studies of the potential water levels, the house was set at a height that could not flood, yet was designed to sit safely if surrounded by water. We are particularly proud of this home as we were really able to get that beach shack component while keeping within the low budget and low maintenance requirements, Godwin says. So we ve hit the brief in every which way. Features: HardieFlex sheet with timber cover battens lighthome 45

Project 2: small click to view more images in our picture gallery Having designed many houses on small lots in and around Brisbane, the Base team didn t hesitate when it received a brief for a

Godwin explains that in order to take advantage of the aspects of the site it was critical to open up the house wherever possible and allow access to areas not usually explored both visual and

7 Project 2: small click to view more images in our picture gallery Having designed many houses on small lots in and around Brisbane, the Base team didn t hesitate when it received a brief for a three-bedroom home on a tiny 229sqm parcel of land. Godwin explains that in order to take advantage of the aspects of the site it was critical to open up the house wherever possible and allow access to areas not usually explored both visual and physical. It s all about verticality, but we had to pull some tricks to get cross ventilation to work, he says. We were trying to get such a large program of spaces onto the site, we really had to split it up while maintaining privacy as a key consideration. The Base solution was to create a garden above the garage that included a 6sqm fish pond, which Godwin explains gives the home a chance to breathe. The feature enables cool breezes to be picked off the water and taken through the house via a bank of louvres. Along with the parameters of Brisbane s current residential house lot code, and the requirements of the client, Godwin says it was equally important to address the architecture of the surrounding dwellings. The neighbourhood comprises an eclectic collection of homes, from quaint workers cottages and refurbished stores to contemporary multi-unit dwellings. From these homes, Base drew much of its inspiration for Small house. The overall character of these dwellings is expressed in the form of the building, which includes flat roofs, low-pitched roofs, parapets, skillions and gables, Godwin explains. The team also chose to use a variety of building materials on the home, including a range of face brick, weatherboard, fibre cement sheeting, metal cladding and rendered brickwork facades. Together, in Godwin s opinion, they support the contemporary nature of the house. lighthome 47

Project 3: light click to view more images in our picture gallery Renovating a dilapidated, heritagerestricted 1890s workers cottage for a client wanting a functional yet eccentric and fun house

But we were limited with what we could do with heritage restriction, and we wanted to pay homage to the original cottage, so we really had to get our creative juices flowing.

8 Project 3: light click to view more images in our picture gallery Renovating a dilapidated, heritagerestricted 1890s workers cottage for a client wanting a functional yet eccentric and fun house meant Base had to push its creative envelope to the limit. The brief from the client was to just have fun with it and go wild; they wanted a piece of art, Godwin says. But we were limited with what we could do with heritage restriction, and we wanted to pay homage to the original cottage, so we really had to get our creative juices flowing. The solution was to fully restore the workers cottage in a contemporary way. Godwin says it became a piece of living art that respects the original cottage while creating a natural thoroughfare to a contemporary structure at the rear. We couldn t change the outside appearance of the cottage but we could do a lot internally and we were able to challenge the roof form, creating a glass roof on one side that formed a seamless link to the new component, Godwin explains. Staying true to its name, the home is flooded with natural light. There is a plethora of glazing, while glass skylights feature over the kitchen, ensuites and showers. Windows adjacent to the pool refract light down into the gym and basement. Featuring a range of material from Scyon Linea weatherboard on the old cottage to concrete bridges within the new structure, Features: Scyon Linea weatherboard the home represents the diversity in Base s skill set as well as the variety of clients the practice tends to attract. It s about sculpture and art as much as it is function... the clients were very outside the box and that s how you get a house like this It s about sculpture and art as much as it is function, Godwin says. The clients were very outside the box and that s how you get a house like this when you get people who are happy to explore possibilities and let you come up with whacky ideas. lighthome 49

HEART-CENTRED HOME A homeowner is guided by her feelings when designing her new home

HEART-CENTRED HOME A homeowner is guided by her feelings when designing her new home BY PHILLIPA RISPIN / PHOTOGRAPHY: EMA PETER 11 PEOPLE SEARCHING FOR A NEW HOME sometimes know exactly what they re looking