Rosebank
Winner of a State Master Builders Award for House Additions/Alterations/Renovations $150,000-$250,000.
JS Henderson had a good start when it came to the freestanding addition to this hillside home at Rosebank in the NSW Northern Rivers area. We’d built the original house for the owner-architect, John Zaat, 10 years ago, so were familiar with the site and its clients.
The additions to the existing structure of this home in Rosebank provide a master bedroom with associated en-suite bathroom and dressing room, and a wine cellar and store room on the lower level common to the rest of the residence. Stairs lead to a mezzanine loft space with library and studio/office area, separated from the room below by a balustrade wall. A small deck provides an outdoor seating area and facilitates access around the outside of the building.
The extension was conceived as a free-standing pavilion structure with a minimal link to the existing house, reducing the impact on the existing building and creating small landscaped courtyards in between which form an important adjunct to the internal spaces of both the original and the new. The materials used match seamlessly to those of the existing building in order to avoid the sense of a later addition.
The building was designed to link to and compliment an adjacent swimming pool. A reflecting pool connects the bedroom to the pool visually from within, and allows water reflections play on the walls of the bedroom, a feature sought by the architect to bring the feeling of calmness and serenity into the bedroom space. A pergola continues an important design element of the existing house, providing not only a unifying visual element but facilitating the support of deciduous vines intended to complement the passive solar design of the building.
The site presented some difficulties in regard to the fall of the land and an existing non-structural, rock retaining wall, along with a valued mature teak tree. JS Henderson overcame the difficulties through the use of structural steel and an extended post and beam construction to the area over-sailing the retaining wall, lessening the footprint and impact of the building on the areas in question.
This site faces north-west and so the extension offers some protection for the remainder of the house and by the use of overhangs and pergolas, reduced window profiles and the application of solar reflective film reduces the heat transfer through the windows. Narrow full-height louvre panels are strategically positioned to take advantage of the prevailing breezes. The blades are opaque and black, allowing the flow of air throughout the night whilst at the same time minimising light entry in the mornings. The height of the horizontal bedroom window gives a bed-eye-level view of the amazing rural setting, creating an interesting and practical feature.
The use of Velux roof windows that relieve hot air and give good light to the loft have meant that the reverse cycle air conditioning was not required throughout the summer months. They are double-glazed, and are fitted with both solar reflective film and venetian blinds.
These additions were packed with small details visioned and documented by the owner/architect. Each combine to give a well thought out building that works really well and has lots of clever features. Many of these details required consultation and a spirit of cooperation in reaching workable solutions. Good communication and an enthusiastic response from our talented construction team have seen commendations and client satisfaction. This project was the winner of a State Master Builders Award for House Additions/Alterations/Renovations $150,000-$250,000.
JS Henderson has really enjoyed building this project, the challenges presented and the ongoing friendship that flowed with the clients.”
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