13 Thompson Street
This is a classic project (contemporary in planning, classic in presentation).
It is practical, beautiful, well detailed and constructed. It has utilised the valuable core of earlier site establishment/building, and removed the unsympathetic, inferior elements. The new layer offers a long lasting fabric, reflects the owner’s style and responds to the prominent setting. The building forms, materials and details reflect the natural, cultural, historic attributes of the setting.
The imagery is familiar, yet the overall facade design to the street is original, a strong presence befitting the prominent hillside frontage. The size and modulation provide a perfect transition between the neighbouring properties.
The rigour of detailing and construction continues through the interior, garden, pool. The internal planning is practical, flexible, generosity of room plan sizes, and the central stair hall and other pitched ceilings offset the height constraints of the retained existing floor slabs, and desire to include a generous pitched roof in the overall building design.
Sustainability
- Maintenance of existing building footprint.
- Quality materials with long life are used.
- Orientation, form of building responds to sunlight, breezes, offers appropriate thermal mass
- Low energy use appliances, lights.
- Roof water collected for re use on site.
Innovative sustainable design elements:
Gable ends to pitched roofs are provided with Louvers for ventilation, they can be closed off in winter to retain heat.
Environmental footprint of the building is minimised by:
- Minimised demolition, ground works.
- Utilised long life materials, and energy efficient fittings.
- Orientate building form, with appropriate solar energy access, cross ventilation, insulation and thermal mass provided.
- Internal living spaces can be opened up as one, or closed to minimise heating.
Architect
Prue Murdoch Architect
Project Date
2014
Award
People’s Choice Award
