Poles Top The Grade
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday September 19, 1997
Creative team work results in a very livable house, writes Jane Burton Taylor.
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FROM a difficult sloping site, owners, builder and architect joined forces to create this Terrigal home with a view, sun-drenched decks and a private pool. Described by its owners as very livable, it is a sun trap in winter and enjoys cool breezes in summer.
The owners chose their builder, Steve Brandley of Coastal Pole Homes, on a word-of-mouth recommendation, delivering a brief for a three-level home with uninhibited views from every level, separate guest quarters and a pool. Brandley says the first stage was to prepare the site. The owners didn't want copper log retaining walls, so he brought in hundreds of tonnes of sandstone boulders for the purpose. "It looked more natural," he says.
"We had to excavate for the pool and a one-metre sandstone cut went in under the house ... We had to retain all around the pool and all up the side driveway."
Once the pool area was excavated and the retaining walls were in place, the building of the house began. "It was difficult not having any level area to work," says Brandley. "Virtually everything - Gyprock, internal tiles, roofing - was craned up from street level about 25 metres below."
Given the steepness of the site, the architect, Michael Vanderwyk, says the design of the house was kept as simple as possible. His aim was to take advantage of the northerly aspect and the ocean view.
"Originally the owners had planned to use an inclinator," says Vanderwyk. "We managed to avoid that by incorporating the garage on the lower boundary."
A partially covered walkway leads to the house. The lowest level incorporates a large informal living room and guest bedroom with a deep deck leading out to a pool. On the middle level is the kitchen, an open-plan
living/dining room, a family room and a partially shaded sun deck. The top floor has the master bedroom, ensuite, a small sitting room area and a second bedroom.
"You can utilise the different levels, depending on what you want to do for the day, which is very satisfying," says the owner.
The home is clad in woodgrain Weathertex and is insulated with bats. There is a ducted vacuum system and gas heating throughout. Sand colours have been used in the lower levels with ocean colours employed on the upper level.
"It has a very bright and airy, comfortable feel about it," says Vanderwyk. "Good access, good solar access, outlook, usability, all those factors working so well is what's unique about the house."
© 1997 Sydney Morning Herald