Using natural stone boulders, some weighing 3 tonnes, a retaining wall was constructed around the
perimeter of the “house yard”. This retaining wall enabled the site to be filled, requiring up to 4 metres at the deepest point, and allowed for cost effective retaining and footing design solutions. Given the difficult access to the site, the concrete tilt panels were made on site using the building slab as a base and then lifted directly into place. Not only did this method remove the need for transport, it also gave greater flexibility into the panel design as there was no limitations on the panel size. A strip footing design under each tilt panel was utilised, reducing the extent of excavation required into the rocky ground. Coreten was selected for the external cladding – our clients love the way the product weathers and changes colour over time and it ticked all the boxes: raw, non-combustible and industrial. The panels were detailed in the office, measured on-site and then folded off-site – the accuracy of folds and dimensions provided for easy installation! Utilising a common fold-pattern enabled sheets to be easily cut to size around windows and doors during installation.
Moving away from conventional design and construction methods, this design relied on a “dwelling
frame” to be constructed and then “filled in”. The combination of tilt panels and steel floor and roof framing provided the perfect framework for an effortless fit-out. Natural light floods the home with each room featuring full-height glazing overlooking the valley to the east. The open lower level gives opportunity for future expansion of the home.
