High Performance Home (Built by Enduro), Stoneyfell SA

Project Info

The latent conditions of this site presented serious challenges to the owners and to the builders who were commissioned to make their client’s dreams a reality. The challenges of designing a home on land with such a steep a gradient presented logistical and programmatic hurdles. An assortment of maximum height constraints, sub-floor clearances and of avoiding excessive excavation.

Harmonic Design* had to balance practicalities with aesthetic and functional requirements which included issues such as vehicle access, controlling views (to take advantage of the tree tops towards the northern aspect whilst avoiding overlooking of neighboring properties) and to the arrangement of the living zones that needed to be stacked on top of each other without resulting in low ceilings.

The programmatic design brief was challenging to resolve because we had to provide access to a garage and front entry from the highpoint at the road-side whilst achieving access into the main living areas from the same level without cantilevering the whole building out beyond the existing 3m cliff edge at the top of the site.

To resolve these conflicting problems we proposed a split-level design with a central internal stair that rises up and lowers down into two separate two building forms, essentially combining two stories under one roof and allowing the bulk (form) and structure of the house to sit below the main street frontage.

The primary living areas, kitchen and deck rise above the entry level, with the secondary living spaces and bedrooms below the main upper level, reducing bulk from the street and conforming with planning requirements to ensure the maximum height wasn’t breached.

Each of the open plan areas overlook trees a sunken garden to the North. Placement of doors, windows and their relationship to the balconies were all heavily considered and resulted in a clever mix of intimate yet broadly sweeping open plan spaces.

*In collaboration with Brett Aylen Architecture

Scope of work:

• Building Design Documentation

• Interior Design (detailed layout, not material selections)

• Preliminary Budget Estimate by Enduro Builders

Construction Cost

• $950K + (Final cost unknown)

Duration of services:

• 4 months

Construction Timeframe:

• 12 months (Circa 2020)