Dalkeith Residence

Marrying prestige, sumptuousness and impressiveness with contextualism, energy efficiency and family-oriented design.

Summary

A reconsideration of traditional housing typologies in the area, this residence reorientates, splits and repositions the traditional backyard space into a formal courtyard space, alfresco and pool area, by formatting plan into a top-heavy ‘F’ shaped design. Benefits of this layout are abundant. Spaces are separated into ‘wings’ for far more efficient heating and cooling, better acoustic separation, and better livability, with room organized with task and occupant priority. Ventilation is significant improved, with many spaces having direct connection to the outside on two opposite sides of the room. Most importantly, all rooms share an outlook to private green space, to optimize the sense of serenity that was a priority of the client’s brief.

Living spaces are gathered around a central formal courtyard, perfect for entertaining, with the option to connect the Living, Dining and Kitchen to the Alfresco and Courtyard, to be utilized as one singular space, for entertaining.

The design aesthetic preferred by the clients was an upper ‘extruded box,’ which reads horizontally, ensuring that the significant mass of the building is kept grounded, and that the upper portion of the building is visually separated from the bottom, allowing the form to ‘float’ over the ground floor plinth, especially in the massive spans over the Alfresco area.

Materials are carefully integrated inside and out, with a minimal palette of soft concretes, timbers and whites to ensure timeless appeal.

Whilst the house is packed with amenity – a basement garage for 4 cars, wine store, multiple guest suites, home offices and more, the focus of the project hasn’t wavered from that of architectural spatial quality.