Alcheringa
A thoughtfully crafted bushland home.
Project overview
Architect Ironbark Architecture
Location Sydney, New South Wales
Type Residential
Photography Luke Butterly
Site history and cultural context
Named for the creek that runs along the bottom of the property, where indigenous Australians once foraged for shellfish, evidence of their activities still visible in a registered aboriginal midden site on a lower section of the property.
Further uphill, this new home was placed in the same position as the old asbestos shack to remove the need for any clearing of vegetation on this beautiful bushland site and to ensure no disturbance occurs to the midden site.
Spatial organisation
The design of the house comprises of two pavilions connected by an entry breezeway.
The Northern pavilion contains the living spaces and opens up to a North facing yard with sweeping views of the surrounding bushland.
The Southern wing contains the bedrooms and home office with focused views of the nearby redgums, the elevated office feeling a part of the canopy.
Landscape and pool integration
The house sits atop of a sandstone outcrop and a new swimming pool has been built into the side of the rocky outcrop using experimental construction methodology to allow the sandstone to form the back edge of the pool.
Entry to the pool area is through a central courtyard over the edge of the rock outcrop evoking a sense of finding a watering hole in the wilderness.
Materials and architectural expression
The materials used reflect a tactile Australian aesthetic using Australian hardwoods, Colorbond steel and an expressed structural steel frame.
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Two pavilion layout connected by an open breezeway creating a clear separation between living and private areas
North-facing living pavilion maximising daylight and bushland views
Bedrooms and home office positioned within the tree canopy
Central courtyard organising circulation between indoor and outdoor spaces
Swimming pool integrated into the sandstone outcrop
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Structural steel frame construction
Exterior materials including Australian hardwoods and Colorbond steel
Pool structure integrated into natural sandstone formation
Construction designed to minimise disturbance to the existing bushland site
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Architect Ironbark Architecture
Lead architect Chris Freeburn
Builder Owner/builder
Photography Luke Butterfly
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