Clever Ways With Materials
From kitchens to kids’ rooms
The Auld family were holidaying on the NSW south coast in 2012 when mum Sharon, reading the Sunday papers, came across an article about sustainable homes. She and her husband Malcolm were looking to demolish their rather dilapidated postwar red-brick house on Sydney’s northern beaches and replace it with a family home that would be the very model of eco-cred. They had already met with four architects, but Sharon decided to try just one more: Matt Elkan, who was mentioned in the article. She called. They clicked. “We felt Matt really listened to our needs and would be the most accommodating,” says Sharon.
Matt’s plans for the new build took about 12 months from brief to completion, and council was enthusiastic about the sustainable design. Sharon and Malcolm chose local builders John Lawson and Phil Lovell for the project. “We were familiar with their work on other homes in the area and really liked their timber craftsmanship and approach to working with owners,” says Malcolm. “We also wanted to support local builders.”
Construction began in October 2015. The land is located on a designated floodplain and backed by a lagoon; the terrain is all loose sand, so 70 steel screw pilings needed to be driven approximately 17 metres underground to reach a stable foundation. And because of the floodplain, the team were required to start building one metre above ground level and the network of pilings.
Sharon and Malcolm were heavily involved in the project from the word go. Every Wednesday morning, there was a site meeting with all concerned. “Decisions were made, notes kept and shared, and discussions had around what was best for the build,” says Malcolm. “It was great that Matt and the builders were able to learn from each other, and Sharon and I also always had our say. It couldn’t have been smoother. From what we’ve heard from others, it was quite a unique experience.” The build was completed in December 2016. “Two days ahead of our original schedule, which was amazing considering the scale of the project,” says Malcolm.
A sense of openness and engagement with the local community were top of mind for Sharon and Malcolm, who live here with their children: Maya, now 16, and Hunter, 14. The finished home is welcoming from the front, with a lovely formed-concrete lily-covered fishpond to the right. Fences are non-existent (except where required for pool safety), and the rear of the house functions as a raised platform from which to see and be seen by passing hikers, pets and kayakers. Looking
in from the street, to the left, is a double garage featuring a door fitted with opaque skylight panelling that obviates the need for lighting during the day.
To enter the house, you walk up a timber gangway. Past the hardwood doorway and to the left of the entrance hall are a guest bedroom, study and stairway, under which is a compact powder room. Turn right and you find yourself in an airy open-plan dining, living and kitchen area that opens on to a spaciousdeck,alandscapedgarden(designedbyLindyHuttonLarsen) and pool. The laundry is tucked behind the dining area. At the top of the stairs is a gangway off which, to the south-west, are the main bedroom, ensuite and a TV room; to the north-east are the children’s rooms (with built-in study zones and wardrobes) and main bathroom.
This is definitely the Aulds’ forever home. “We wanted space for our family to grow, but also a home that connects with the community,” says Malcolm. “The socially nurturing aspect of our brief has brought us much joy, and it’s satisfying that people stop to chat and ask us about it.”
Matt Elkan Architect, Mona Vale, NSW; 0403 996 626 or mattelkanarchitect.com.au.
Lawson & Lovell Building Services, Curl Curl, NSW;
0422 459 159 or northernbeachesbuilders.com.au.
Lindy Hutton-Larsen, Toronto, NSW; 0487 914 200.