Verna House - Burleigh Heads
THE BRIEF :
The brief called for a 480 sq.m. family residence to be located on a 200m2 plot of land, 10m wide and with a 1 in 2.5 slope, facing north perched high on Burleigh Heads hill, taking maximum advantage of panoramic ocean and Surfers Paradise views.
The house had to be zoned for private and public functions, with an emphasis placed on a separate recreation area housing games and home theatre rooms, a gym and amenities facility located adjacent to the existing pool which hindered the site placement of the house.
The house had to be modern, light and airy, with wide entertainment decks adding to the Queensland vernacular as far as blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living.
Council also required roof water harvesting, because the site did not have a stormwater drainage system.
DESIGN SOLUTION :
The 480m2 was accommodated over 4 levels, with the top floor level 3 housing the home entrance, garage and open living/dining areas linked to a large outdoor deck. Level 2 housed the bedroom and study wing, while level 1 accommodated the recreation and home theatre rooms with a large terrace suspended some 4m above the pool deck. The ground level housed the amenities and gym areas which relate closely to the pool area.
Careful handling of it’s rear 4 storey facade, (which appears reasonably lightweight by using transparent terraced balconies), meant that the house sits comfortably in context with it’s site and neighbouring properties.
THE OUTCOME :
The final built form, appearing as one storey from the street, but 4 storeys from the rear, incorporates an ecletic mix of materials and textures (rendered masonry, stonewalls, feature timber screening) and uses simple lightweight skillion roof forms incorporating high level clear storey windows which adds volume to the top floor.
This modern contemporary house has clean lines, zoned for various family activities, addresses privacy issues within and external to it’s site boundaries and more than meets Council’s rainwater harvesting requirements by pacing 2 x 6000 litre tanks below the pool deck out of view.
Client : P. Verna
Contact: Maurice Verna
