Architect Laurence Nash of Nashdesign Architecture calls this project “The Swallow Roof House” for its dramatically sloping roof, because when he and the builder Rick Hassett sent up a drone, from the air, with the ‘flick’ over the entrance, the plan looks a lot like a swallow in flight. “It’s a pleasant surprise when architecture reminds us of something found in nature,” says Nash.
The house sits at the top of a clearing on a gentle gradient sloping to the north-east, lending itself to generous outdoor areas to the north and an appealing view of the estuary to the south. The brief was for a light-filled, low maintenance build with easy indoor-outdoor flow.
Nash describes it as being “about the progression from the entry to the heart of the house". The main living areas and master bedroom sprawl generously across two levels to the east for everyday living, while the guest bedrooms and garage extend westward.
Obviously, the eye-catching roofline is the most striking feature of the build. The steel-framed roof rises from the entrance, through the interior to the fulcrum of the house where it provides a double-height focal point for the indoor and outdoor living spaces.
This magnificent swoop, understandably, presented challenges both in terms of design and construction, sloping in two directions over a significant span over double height interiors and a covered outdoor dining area. It was worth it. “The roof form ties the house together,” Nash says, “it leads along the hallway, flows up above the stairs to the mezzanine and floats above and over the glazed wall to form a shelter over the outdoor area. It both anchors and uplifts the house.”
The alignment of the house shifts subtly depending on your vantage point, but the view of the estuary only really reveals itself from the upper floor. “It’s about the progression from the entry to the heart of the house,” says Nash.
As the native bush regenerates on the site, the house will sit right on the bush line, its magnificent roofline echoing the contour of the landscape. The adroit combination of timber and smart-looking James Hardie StriaTM Cladding, painted black, will distinguish and define the home against that bush so the sculptural elegance of the home’s profile blends seamlessly into the landscaping of the north-facing garden. “The client wanted a low-maintenance material that could be easily looked after, particularly for the south side where the native bush will eventually come right up to the house walls,” says Nash.
The sturdiness and stability of the fibre-cement StriaTM Cladding makes it a practical solution to all-day sun on the north side of the house, and the colder southern side, and the paint finish makes it easy to hose down and maintain. It’s an excellent choice, particularly on the south side where the regrown bush line will bed the building into the landscape.
This story was produced in association with James Hardie. For more stories and product information, click here.
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