Analysis - Exemplar Analysis

“Our client wanted a unique piece of architecture that could enhance family life and not be precious. Feedback from the client is that the house has achieved this aspiration while providing privacy and sanctuary from the otherwise urban and public environment.” [2]

House as an environmental filter

The Balaam House was not designed to pioneer sustainable design, yet the fit-out does take great care in incorporating and facilitating environmental aspects. The seamless integration of air-conditioning, extraction and ventilation is a major highlight to showcase its sustainability features. The systems are technologically intertwined to control and maintain steady ventilation and cooling throughout the house. The system includes a solar timed air-conditioner, louvres, shutters and blinds as well as a “heat stack” cross ventilation strategy. These systems, among others, were made to rationalize structure, finished, process and mechanisms to contain costs and future maintenance expenses. Furthermore, the house utilised recycled materials throughout some of the design and includes such sustainability features as a rain-water tank, solar control glass.

House as a container of human activites

Arguably one of the most important aspect the architect had to take into consideration was the separation and zoning of spaces within and surrounding the house. The design needed to provide for the needs of children and adults and provide privacy on the northern and west aspects from the public. Beaver (2008) states the “House presents a heavily articulated and screened façade to the north and west to provide privacy from neighboring apartment blocks.” The design also built three stories high enabling a garden to the hidden from public view on the western side of the site.

The Balaam house is a family house and as such required different areas for the children, parents and guests. To overcome this Arkhefield placed the parents, living and guest spaces to the south, facing the city and river views and placed the children’s rooms to the north of the house.

House as a delightful experience

Equally as important as zoning of the house was the orientation to allow for maximum views to the river and city. The house is positioned with the parents’, guests’ and living areas facing south to ‘peel’ back the city view over the river (Beaver, 2008). The house also has considered architecture, interior design, decor, landscape and art as a whole, which allowed for a better integration of all key aspects of the house (Lariviere, 2010). As stated by Sanjivee (2009) “From its materials to its deisng each element of this home intertwines forming a peaceful sanctuary.”

References

[1] Beaver, R. 2008. Balaam Residence. In 100 dream houses from down under, 42-45. Australia: The Images Publishing Group.

[2] Australian Institute of Architects. 2007. Balaam Residence. http://www.architecture.com.au/awards_search?option=showaward&entryno=2007040378 (accessed March 4/9, 2010).

[3] Arkhefield. n.d. Balaam. http://www.arkhefield.com.au/pdf.php?id=109&table=projects&field=pdf (accessed March 4/9, 2010).

[4] Sanjivee, E. 2009. Home Sweet Home. Space (Malaysia) November 2009: 90-93. http://www.arkhefield.com.au/pdf.php?id=000011&table=news&field=pdf (accessed March 4/9, 2010).

[5] Larivière, M. 2010. Balaam Residence. Prestige Design Magazine (Canada) January 2010. http://www.arkhefield.com.au/pdf.php?id=000075&table=news&field=pdf (accessed March 4/9, 2010).

[6] Specifier. 2009. Balaam Residence. http://www.specifier.com.au/projects/residential/34917/Balaam-Residence.html (accessed March 4/9, 2010)

Analysis - Exemplar Drawings

Arkhefield Drawings

Second Floor

First Floor

Ground Floor

Site Plan

Rear Elevation

Section A and B

Section C and D

Image set can be found online Flickr @

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48664728@N07/sets/72157623684635996/

Archetype - Samford House

The Samford House was designed to be built analogous as an ‘occupied ruin’ or a constituent of a ‘city wall’ (Australian Institute of Architects, 2007). Money was not an issue when it came to the design ad construction of this house. The clients sought after a very environmentally friendly de

sign with an ageless finish. The wraparound pebble courtyard coupled with the external batten screens embodies the house with a Japanese zen-like atmosphere (Specifier, 2010). The idea of an ‘occupied ruin’ is also further instilled with the box-plantings that decorate the exterior of the house, resonati

ng the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

The topography was of little concern, yet space was limited. The solution was a three-tiered design with inner courtyard and below-ground basement ventilated and lit by high level windows. The house has also incorporated many features to enhance natural ventilation. Louvres at the upper level draw air from the cooler, basement level of the house expelling warm air accumulated in the living areas. The house also includes low-power LED fluorescent lighting, a 45-kilolitre rainwater tank, recycled iron-bark cladding, a mechanical plant that harvests heat for the pool and a 10kW solar power station. (Specifier, 2010).

Exterior - Front View

Exterior - Courtyard

Exterior - Side View

Floor Plan

All images sourced from Australian Institute of Architects

Australian Institute of Architects. 2010. Bligh Graham Architects, Samford House. http://www.architecture.com.au/i-cms?page=11114 (accessed March 4, 2010).

Floor Plan sourced from Bligh Graham Architects

References

Australian Institute of Architects. 2010. Bligh Graham Architects, Samford House. http://www.architecture.com.au/i-cms?page=11114 (accessed March 4, 2010).

Specifier. 2010. Bligh Graham Architects. http://www.specifier.com.au/projects/residential/38633/Bligh-Graham-Architects.html (accessed March 4, 2010).

Archetype - Bamboo Wall House

The Bamboo Wall House was designed as a parallel to many of the qualities represented in the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall has never been an isolated object, yet embodies the idea that it is remote and untouchable. The Bamboo Wall house replicated this concept into its design harnessing the material bamboo instead of brick and stone to exemplify this characteristic. Bamboo was woven into the house and was chosen for its weakness yet flexibility. It acts as a permeable screen providing a drama due to its contrast of light and shadow (Kateigaho, 2004). The bamboo also allows wind to pass through and reflects the historical connection between Asian culture creating a meditative ambiance.

Interior

Exterior

Preliminary Sketch

Floor Plan

All images sources from Kengo Kuma & Associates

Kengo Kuma & Associates. 2010. Great (Bamboo) Wall. http://www.kkaa.co.jp/E/main.htm (accessed March 4, 2010).

References

Inhabitat. 2006. Great (Bamboo) Wall. http://www.inhabitat.com/2006/02/26/great-bamboo-wall/ (accessed March 4, 2010).

Kateigaho. 2004. Kengo Kuma. http://int.kateigaho.com/mar04/architect-kuma.html (accessed March 4, 2010).

Materialious. 2009. Kengo Kuma Designs the Great (Bamboo) Wall House of China. http://www.materialicious.com/2009/10/kengo-kuma-designs-the-great-bamboo-wall-house-in-china.html (accessed March 4, 2010).

Archetype - Balaam Residence

The Balaam House; situated in a very public domain, plays with house zoning and separation of the private and public domain. The Houses maximizes city views, whilst providing privacy from the public boardwalk and neighbouring apartment buildings. The river-side site, is surrounded by five hundred apartment in tall blocks and is situated alongside a public boardwalk. The orientation of the house needed to provide viewing corridors to the river and city whilst reinforcing privacy. (Nikiomahe, 2008).

The design provides views to the south whilst allowing warmth to penetrate from the north and west simultaneously blocking out neighbour views from the east. The architect utilized the lenient town planning height regulations for the area and stacked the house three levels high on the east to allow for a private garden on the west side of the house. Further use of zoning in the family house extends placing the children’s rooms at the northern end of the house whilst the parents’ guests’ and entertaining spaces lie to the south with river and city views. (specifier, 2010).

The house also incorporates many environmental features such as a well integrated use of air-conditioning, heat extraction and ventilation. The operable louvres, shutters and blinds run on a solar clock to limit air-conditioning use. Further, the house includes rain-water harvesting, solar hot water, solar control glass.

East Elevation

Interior - Stairwell

Exterior View

Interior - Kitchen/Dining

All images sourced from Arkhefield

Arkhefield. n.d. Balaam House. http://www.arkhefield.com.au/projectdetail.php?id=109&cat=4 (accessed March 4, 2010).

References

Australian Institute of Architects. 2007. Balaam Residence. http://www.architecture.com.au/awards_search?option=showaward&entryno=2007040378 (accessed March 4, 2010).

Nikiomahe. 2008. Balaam House, By Arkhefield. http://www.nikiomahe.com/home-design/balaam-house-by-arkhefield/ (accessed March 4, 2010)

Specifier. 2009. Balaam Residence. http://www.specifier.com.au/projects/residential/34917/Balaam-Residence.html (accessed March 4, 2010)