'Poetics of construction': inside an architecturally transformed masterpiece
The house you want to buy – or should – is the home of an architect.
Ideally, one they have built or renovated for themselves.
Why? For a start, they haven’t had to lock horns – other than those of their own creative inner demons – with tricky or demanding clients who may compromise their vision.
With their own place, architects are free to put fully into practice something that responds directly to their own specific design philosophy and approach to architecture – and, importantly, at their own pace.
That was certainly the case with this sandstone cottage in Avalon Beach, on Sydney’s northern beaches, which local architect Richard Cole bought in 1997.
At the time, the 1930s two-bedroom cottage had been let go, with the roof caving in and the garden grown wild.
No one was much interested in it, and it sat on the market for a year.
But Cole, who was just starting out on his own, saw huge potential in the strong rectilinear form of the existing residence sitting on an ample-sized double block.
“All architects like to experiment with their own houses,” Cole says.
“This was no exception. I certainly learnt a lot from rebuilding it and exploring ideas where you have the freedom of not being tied to a client.”
Cole saw in overhauling the property a chance to explore what he calls “the poetics of construction”.
To him, this meant elevating the building process to something that embraced a more artistic, well-crafted pursuit.
Over the next half-dozen years, Cole did just that.
He converted and expanded a dark, pokey, rustic-looking building into a splendid piece of architectural beauty, which spoke lyrically to the site and surrounding environment.
Initially, Cole focused on the cottage.
Most strikingly, he raised the gabled roof to incorporate clerestory windows, which boosted both volume and interior light.
It also allowed the roof space to be transformed into a loft-styled main bedroom, accessed via a central staircase and gangway.
A more substantial second stage saw a new divided pavilion-style wing added to the cottage – a modern lightweight construction of glass, timber and steel with a Zincalume skillion roof.
This incorporated an airy, transparent kitchen with expansive sliding glass doors and outdoor decks that opened up to a lush garden of cabbage palms and spotted gums.
But it also included a two-storey extension: a ground-level bedroom and en suite which spilled onto the garden; and, above, a spacious, light-filled home office, with separate entrance, looking out onto treetops.
On top of this, Cole’s work also involved a high degree of attention to detail and craftsmanship.
He had a personal hand in some of the furniture and woodwork.
Just as important to Cole’s design approach was the consideration given to the way his family of six chose to live day-to-day.
Broadly, the house was zoned to suit different times of the year.
The original sandstone cottage was snug and cosy with a big fireplace, an ideal spot for winter.
In contrast, the new extension was breezy, sunlit and open, perfect for the warmer months.
But Cole’s thinking about the various spaces went further.
“Each room was designed for a highly specific purpose and its character defined for that purpose, which could be adapted over time.”
James Barker from McGrath Pittwater takes the home to auction on September 11 with a guide of $3.8 million.
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