Shane O'Brien – Bachelor of Architecture

Archives: August 2014

A contemporary country estate.

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Being accepted to design a substantial house and outbuildings on a large rural site was exciting. There were a lot of briefed issues to be considered: many and frequent visitors; kitchen as the heart; roaring fires; robustness; easy care; the growing and active family; an evolving family eventually leaving home and visiting as young families; pool house; gym; home office; helping hands; machinery storage; environmental issues; limited power and services; stabling of the ponies; dogs, chooks; books…

View into the 20 hectare rural site

View into the 20 hectare rural site

Many sketches were produced in the early stages, in order to arrive at appropriate solutions. A significant number of sketches passed hands between myself and the interior designers appointed for the project.

One of many early sketches

One of many early sketches

"countryhouse" "ruralproperty" "stables"

3D CAD image of proposed country house in the Southern Highlands NSW

The house came to comprise a main living pavilion, children’s bedroom pavilion, pool house, double garage, machinery shed and stables.

The house performed particularly well in terms of it’s energy rating compliance, incorporating a number of systems to support it’s efficient, sustainable design:

  • North facing living areas.
  • Shading to west and east facades.
  • Heavy, pelmeted curtains.
  • Double glazed timber framed glazing.
  • Compartmentalisation of spaces.
  • Cross flow ventilation.
  • Thermal mass – concrete floor slabs / brick wall ‘spine’..
  • Solar assisted gas hydronic slab heating.
  • Solar hot water.
  • Photovoltaic cells.
  • Wetback fireplace – to assist hydronic heating.
  • 100,000 litre underground water storage.
  • Solar pool heating.

Some of the issues that effected the architecture, the site layout and the materials incorporated were: bushfire compliance requirements; distantly located mains power; no town water or sewer; access to the families ponies; and visual amenity.

The result is a striking contemporary residence proposed to be clad in fibre cement weatherboards, concrete block, folded copper sheet, galvanised steel sheet, cedar and hardwood.

Long-dreamed-about house

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The stylish, charming older couple were former clients when they invited me to design the major alterations and additions to their long dreamed about house on the coast. Some of the bigger issues for consideration were: respect for and retention of the existing heritage cottage; planning for the future to allow the now-extended two storey house to function on one level should accessibility become an issue; ability to close down portions of the house when the many friends and family weren’t visiting; flexible internal and external entertaining spaces; access to the superb ocean views.

timbercottage_heritage_kiama

The original timber framed cottage, located in a heritage precinct

 

Extensions to the rear of the cottage

Extensions underway to the rear of the cottage

 

heritage_coasthouse

Sympathetically renovated front facade

house-extensions_coasthouse

The rear facade of the extended timber coast house

A series of systems were incorporated to address the sustainability of the house:

  • North facing facade for passive solar access.
  • Passive ventilation stack to the lower floor laundry/store.
  • Cross flow ventilation – assisted by the breezeway.
  • Thermal mass – concrete floor slabs.
  • Compartmentalisation of the house – close off major portions of the house dependant on occupant levels.
  • 2,000 litre water storage.
  • Extensive use of timber cladding/lining and windows – recyclable material.
  • Re-use of existing storage sheds.
Breezeway_deck

Internal breezeway viewed from the north facing deck

Attention was paid to future use of the building through:

  • Accessible gradients from the lower level garage to the upper floor level.
  • Installation of plumbing to a large cupboard on the upper floor to cater for fitout as a laundry.
deck_heritagecottage_kiama

The two storey additions to the timber cottage

kitchen_timberfloor_highceilings

Kitchen and living areas with ocean views.

To gain a clearer picture of just how much the cottage evolved through the transformation process, you can read a blog created previously.

Some background on Shane’s architectural experience

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Shane O’Brien has been designing buildings for over twenty years: large and small; awarded and noteworthy; complex and simple; modest and immodest budget; commercial, residential and hospitality in nature. Amongst the text are images of some buildings that he has been involved with in a variety of architectural practices.

A small hotel I have worked on in the past at BHI Architects

An hotel complex

He has been fortunate to have developed a good amount of hands-on experience in building, however his strengths lie in nurturing projects through the design process to their fruition in construction.

A mixed retail/commercial office building that I have worked on previously at BHI Architects

A mixed retail/commercial office building

Shane has undertaken a series of senior architectural roles up to Senior Associate level and has developed a complete skillset for design, documentation and contract administration. He has accumulated extensive experience in managing demanding residential and commercial projects and possesses highly developed stakeholder management capability.

KingsBay-mediumdensityhousing

An award winning medium density housing development

His practical understanding of the building process – he’s been around construction sites since he was a child – means the design outcome will be both livable and buildable. His passion is to craft innovative, sustainable houses designed with careful regard for the client’s brief.

Bulli House #2

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There were quite a few factors driving the design of this house: the stunning views, which were captured from all but a few rooms – and most importantly from the bath!; the often harsh seaside environment, requiring careful detailing and material’s selection; the ability to open or close the facade to the elements; acoustic comfort; the long, exposed western site frontage; consideration of the aging demographic – to name a few…

NW corner of the house

NW corner of the house

Ground Floor - Bulli House #2

Ground Floor – Bulli House #2

The proximity of the house to the ocean brought with it the drama of the ever changing seaside environment and the delight gained from walking a few metres to the beach. With it came the need to shelter the occupants from the sun, the winds and salt laden air.

Materials selection had to be considered carefully in order to effectively close the house from the environment. External treatments were inclusive of a striking anodised aluminium ‘weatherboard’ cladding, anodised aluminium double glazed windows, anodised external venetian blinds and corrugated sheet roofing.

The primary facade facing the beach

The primary facade facing the beach

 

External venetian blinds provide privacy and solar control

External venetian blinds provide privacy and solar control

The external blinds also provided additional levels of privacy from adjacent neighbours.

Site orientation was not particuarly favourable for effective solar passive benefit, resulting in a long exposed western facade. Services, wet areas and vertical circulation spaces were housed along this facade, being shielded from solar input by a reverse masonry veneer wall.

Western facade to house

Western facade to house

Additional systems utilised to address the sustainability of the house were:

  • Compartmentalising the house – the ability to close areas when not in use.
  • Roof mounted solar ventilator utilised to assist both cooling and warming the building.
  • Accessing the cool thermal mass of the basement by drawing air through a riser at the lift core – also ventilates the basement.
  • 10,000 litre water storage.
  • Thermal mass provided through tiled concrete floor slabs.
  • Cross flow ventilation.
  • Double glazed thermally broken windows.

Consideration of future use were taken into account, with space being allocated to accommodate a possible elevator for accessibility, not only for ease of access by this young family, but by potential aged users. The spaces allocated are effectively utilised for storage in the interim.

Views were captured from all bedrooms and living spaces, utilising ‘bay windows seats’ to the bedrooms and the ever important bath.

A bath with a view!

A bath with a view!

 

Kitchen

Kitchen

slotwindow-timberjoinery-coasthouse

Slot window providing light to the music room