Fullagar Residence

North-east elevation .

Words form the architect

A new house on a previously unbuilt-upon site for 2 parents and 2 teenage daughters.

The Fullagar residence is a considered exploration of the suburban house in sydney. Its design demonstrates another way to define 'house', while using conventional construction methods and materials - concrete, brickwork, timber framing and fibrous cement. Since michael Fullagar is a builder, the design and construction was a collaborative process, with no detail construction drawings required. The design provides a comfortable, spacious house, incorporating strict passive solar principles, while also exploring more sculptural and artistic ideas. The form is a composition of intersecting rectilinear elements, inspired by kazimir malevich's 'arkhitektons', with a dramatic overlay of colour, inspired by the teachings of joseph albers and johannes itten - perhaps more in the spirit of australian artist jeffrey smart than fred williams.

Entry with painted wall + painting.

By breaking the exterior surface into smaller coloured panels, the scale of the house has been visually reduced. By painting the panels in different colours the facade becomes an exploration of colour theory while also being a response to the notion of 'fitting in', through the use of four different 'natural' tan colours. The bold red pool is used as a highlight and counterpoint to the overall composition. The same red acts as a counterbalance in the centre of the house on one wall of the stair. Internally, the use of colour is further explored through the placement of blocks of colour on the white walls and ceilings, rather than painting a whole wall, ceiling or room in the same colour.

View through stairwell.

This approach creates an alternative definition of space, and blurs the distinction between walls and ceilings and between the idea of a wall and a canvas. An existing stormwater easement had proved to be too difficult for previous owners, leaving the site unbuilt upon. This easement, the slope of the block and the northern orientation to the side of the site, became the initial influences upon the planning, with a split-level plan capitalising on these site parameters. The resulting apparently simple arrangement of rooms belies the subtle complexities of space and volume within the overall composition. This spatial composition also takes into account and allows for the gradual inhabitation by the family over the coming years.

View from stair to exterior wall.

The Fullagar residence is built around the corner from the harry seidler designed rose seidler house, and also incorporates certain references to that house in its design. Finally, the Fullagar residence is a house designed for its occupants. The design has taken their needs and desires and shaped a house around those. A house that is practical and comfortable, but one that is also attempting to critique the notion of house, and in particular, the sydney suburban house. This house dares to say, here I am, I am different, and I am good...

View over stair vestibule - glass roof detail.

Materials include: exposed concrete floors, brick walls on ground floor, timber-framing + fibrous-cement panels on first floor, aluminium + glass windows, metal roofing, polyurethane finish joinery.

Internal street.

The design is a split level composition allowing all rooms to have a northern orientation for sun and cross-ventilation. The lowest level is garage + storage and guest room, the next is the main entry, home office, laundry and master bedroom, dressing and en-suite. The third level is the main living, dining, kitchen and family room all opening to the northern deck and pool, connected to the rear garden via a ramp. The top level is the 2 children's bedrooms, children's bathroom and play area.

Living + dining with green ceiling strip.

Kitchen joinery detail.

16.6 m. lap pool.

3D bird's eye view from north-east.

Credits

• Text and images: Stephen Varady

View full page Pages: Previous Page 1 | 2