|
|
 |
|
 |
|
 |
|
| Hamilton-Doyle House |
| A tropical paradise in the heart of the city. |
|
|
|
|
A small cottage in inner city Balmain, Sydney, was barely habitable when the owners moved in. Instead of renovating, they decided to bulldoze and start again on this tiny 205 square metre block. John Hamilton-Doyle, an architect who is passionate about ”bringing natural light indoors”, and designing homes that are appropriate to Sydney’s climate, got the job of designing the new home.
John was not only the architect on the project, he was also the builder. According to the owner, he has an ability to see the design of this open plan home 5 years down the track, not just up until completion like many other architects. One of the many impressive architectural features of the house is the soaring acrylic roof. This has a lattice above it, training a grape-vine over the top. The vine is deciduous, which means that in winter the house gets more sun, while in summer, the vine acts a perfect “shadecloth”. In heavy rain, the water gushing over the glass gives an impressive waterfall effect. This is also simulated when desired using a roof-top sprinkler system. The acrylic roof has become a Hamilton-Doyle “signature” blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor areas.
The house is two levels. The ground floor is open-plan, incorporating a lounge, dining and kitchen area, with a glass rear wall that opens all the way to the roof. The garden is small, but includes a variety of plants and trees such as mangrove, black bamboo, a garden pond with lilies and goldfish and of course the dominant grape vine.
Upstairs a small bridge connects the two bedrooms. The master bedroom is complete with ensuite and a small office and to the right is the second bedroom, also with its own bathroom and a balcony overlooking the street. There are three bathrooms (one with a spa) and a roof garden with fantastic view to the city beyond.
One of the main advantages of this design is being able to live in the inner-city in a home which wouldn’t be out of place in a tropical rainforest. Privacy in every room, trees to attract birds, wonderful light, and best of all - a transparent roof which, when it rains, truly gives the impression of being under a rainforest waterfall.
|
More Info
Architect John Hamilton-Doyle is based in Sydney. For further information or to arrange an appointment, contact him on Ph: (02) 9798 4915.
|
Disclaimer
All Fact Sheets and other material on the Our House website are provided as a general information service only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for the advice of a properly qualified tradesman. Neither ninemsn nor its licensors (including the Nine Network) assume or accept any responsibility for, and will not be liable for the accuracy or appropriate application of any information whatsoever in any Fact Sheet or other material on the Our House web site. Your use of the Our House web site is governed by this disclaimer and the ninemsn's Terms of Use.
|
|
|
|
|
