Blackwattle House
Blackwattle House is nestled on the northern edge of New South Wales amidst the windswept sand dunes of Casuarina. Crafted within the confines of Suburban
living where space is a precious commodity, this home for a family of 5 creates a sense of privacy from within.
Confronting the challenges of the typical Australian Subdivision, where the prevailing norm is to maximise the building footprint, Blackwattle House instead carves volumes (both horizontally and vertically) from the floor plan.
This design strategy facilitates optimum cross ventilation for passive cooling, and along with harnessing the thermal mass of materials, regulates the space to become the predominate source of heating and cooling.
Honeywarmed timbers and natural stone fold their way through the interiors to complement the exposed structure, removing fuss and simplifying the living
experience.
Spotted gum cabintery lines the kitchen and extends seamlessly into the living space. Serving as a multifunctional element, this piece of joinery not only adds warmth to the space but accommodates various practical needs.
With neighbours a mere 900mm from each boundary the design strategy focuses on utilising vertical opportunities to create a sense of volume while allowing light deep into the floor plan. Skylights are strategically employed to provide light with flutted and obscure glass offering privacy from adjacent properties.
Design intent of Blackwattle House intertwines internal and external spaces, seamlessly integrating pockets of garden that act as natural extensions of the living space.
The use of expansive stacking doors further dissolves the boundaries between inside and out inviting the landscape, light and sea breezes into the house.
Blackwattle House is grounded in its refined palette and robust materials to achieve a sense of permanence. It is not only a shelter, but a refuge that has been crafted to withstand the harsh realities of living on the Australian coastline.
