clarence point residence
The residence is situated on a northeast sloping site at the edge of the Tamar River near the mouth to Bass Straight. Essentially a central living pavilion flanked by sleeping pavilions on either side, the residence has intricately sequenced spaces, which draw the interior out and into the landscape. The scheme is programmatically minimal, modest in built internal area, yet generous in landscape extension and spatial volume.
Interior & exterior white planes and transparent glass walls are bathed in luminous light and contrast the rich textured landscape and shimmering Tamar River. The landscape & building parts are conceived as a series of rectilinear planes, an elemental composition where service areas are visually recessive, in contrast with living areas that become more prominent in the arrangement. The solid and transparent wall planes are articulated in a precise geometry.
Folding landscape walls blend with walls of the building proper, protectively shielding the living spaces from the road and prevailing westerly winds. The house is set down into the site and open to the river where precise siting removes the foreground when the building users view out to the river from the sheltered interior. The river seemingly rises and laps at the built edge with the changing of the tides, a yacht moored outside becoming as a model boat displayed on the living sideboard.
Elemental geometric arrangements are continued through to the internal joinery detail. Triangular light shelves beneath highlight windows in the living area reflect diffused light from the ceiling into the space. Polished white concrete floors throughout extend to the external riverside terrace – a white carpet as it were rolled out into garden. Wall plane separations and service areas are finished externally in a combination of subtle textures including deep grey flat sheet wall cladding, ebony stained cypress pine and black mosaic tiles. Living & sleeping wings are contrastingly white. Grounded landscape elements of concrete block are finished in a light grey.
Careful consideration has been given to natural ventilation, a highly performing thermal skin, including double-glazing throughout, and minimal southern and western window openings. Steel structural elements are reduced to a minimum while engineered timber provides efficient long span structural solutions.