Colorbond cladding hits mark in Dalkeit
Xflam Colorbond cladding with its metallic finish in a suburban setting, particularly a setting such as Dalkeith, is unexpected to say the least.
Its application to this two-storey home in among more traditionally constructed buildings could be seen to give it an avant-garde air; and then there is the polycarbonate sheeting.
Modern it certainly is but the materials tend not to attract attention to themselves so much, rather they enclose a space that is remarkably relaxing and eminently liveable
Set behind an existing street wall, the building has no outward pretensions about it. Its story lies within.
The open-plan lower floor is bathed in light, the bi-fold doors opening to an alfresco area of quite significant proportions.
A two-storey structure of steel pillars and white automated blinds defines the space which is adjacent to a swimming pool and topped by Suntuf polycarbonate sheeting.
Surprisingly, a variation of this perspex material (Lexan) forms the wall of the stairwell leading to the upper floor bedrooms, study and entertainment areas. It is also the exterior skin of this section of the building (two sheets with insulation between).
Owners Adie and Ian Meares were familiar with the material from a previous project in Queensland and were very receptive to the idea when Adrian Iredale, of iredale pedersen hook architects, suggested using it.
Their relationship with Mr Iredale was “a great meeting of minds”, as Ms Meares put it. “He was fantastic. We couldn’t have had a better architect; he nailed the brief first up. There were few changes and he was really attentive.”
The home has three “pavilions”, the first is a parents’ sitting room linked to the main bedroom upstairs. The second is the shared downstairs of living room, kitchen and dining room opening to the outdoor setting.
Finally, a self-contained bedroom, bathroom, study area and entertainment pad for the rapidly growing children is at the western end, together with a guest room.
Both clients and architect were conscious of sustainability and so a greywater recycling and purification plant with a 3000-litre tank has been installed awaiting permits prior to watering the garden.
Fans are used more than the air-conditioning and breezeways have been created, sometimes with the use of Aneeta sashless windows.
Within the house the fittings are of high specification. CaesarStone tops the kitchen island bench, bamboo flooring makes up the stairs and large-format ceramic tiles add style to the ensuite and bathrooms. Cavity sliding doors define the pavilions.
2011 WAA ARCHITECTURE AWARDS