The site for Wentworth House is located on the southern ridges of Sydney Harbour at the crest of a gully which feeds into Vaucluse Bay.
It is heavily wooded with mature eucalypt and palm trees dotted and is characterised by a series of sandstone rock shelfs which occur at various heights as you descend from the street level.
MHN. Design Union’s design brief was to provide a family home which provided generous amenity yet sat quietly within the landscape.
Their intent was to capture the story of the site through the design of the house.
From the outset MHN wanted to merge the house and land in a seamless way.
So their response was to create a series of planar elements in both plan and section to define the spaces which interlock and extend into the landscape.
Overlaying this idea is the linking stair which threads through the levels twisting and turning like a piece of rope.
The blade walls are parallel and orientate to the north east with the ends open or glazed to provide transparency and openness to light, ventilation, and harbour views.
In section, the multiple floor levels are treated like cascading platforms and echo the existing rock shelf.
These platforms serve to lower you through the house similar to an initial discovery of the site.
The stair is central to this experience with the primary spaces extending from it like eddies from a stream.
These spaces are quiet and reposed yet maintain their visual connection to the circulation spine.
The swimming pool extends the living space and sits high above the ground almost touching the tree canopy.
Emphasising the experiential sequence is a sense of materiality and texture with off-form concrete, recycled Ironbark, Burnt Ash, and Basaltina stone forming the primary palette.
The sense of touch is heightened with the warmth of the native timbers complementing the smooth finishes of the concrete walls and stone floors.
Project Details
Completion Date – 2013
Building Levels – 5
Project Team
Architecture
MHN. Design Union
MHNDU represents the holistic union of Principals Brian Meyerson, Kevin Ng, and Liam Hancock, who bring their creativity, experience and technical expertise to this contemporary practice.
Their collaborative approach, experience, strategic thinking, and use of advanced technologies combined with an energetic service-driven team, results in a legacy of quality design, and practical, enduring and sustainable buildings.
Photography
Brett Boardman
Brett is a well-established commercial and architectural photographer based in Sydney.
Photo Gallery
Click on a thumbnail image to enlarge.
Design © 2021 MHN. Design Union. All Rights Reserved.| Images © 2021 Brett Boardman. All Rights Reserved.
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