Exemplar Three

Isaacson-Davis House


The third exemplar house is the Isaacson-Davis House located in Balnarring, Victoria. It was designed by John Wardle Architects and completed in 1996.


John Wardle won the RAIA architecture medal for best building design (within Victoria) in 1997 for this house. His website is http://www.johnwardle.com/

 It was designed as a holiday/weekend house for a couple and is located about an hour away from central Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula.

In essence, this house is a long box, however Wardle has set up certain aspects to make it so much more. Living areas are at one end of the house, whereas sleeping has been separated to the far end. The services, such as kitchen, dining and toilet are left in the middle. The house is referred to as "binuclear", however, the segregation is much more dramatic by the use of an "outdoor room" which in effect has been "carved" from the side of the box.(Timber Research Unit, n.d.)

The house is designed for the inhabitant to explore the form as they enter. The house has "hidden" qualities about it which serves to "heighten discovery". (Timber Research Unit, n.d.) At the front, the house is on one level, but as you move through it, you encounter a second level. What was once the ground level has turned into a carport. This can be seen in the elevation below.

Being as this dwelling is in Victoria it would theoretically need to accomodate for this climate, however, because of its function as a beach house, it wouldn't be used often in the winter and therefore only really needs to be designed for use in the summertime. In that reasoning, the house was made of timber to keep it cool but also to add to the feel that this house is a retreat, much like a log cabin.


The house is raised to prevent damp and decay from setting into the wood. The house has two skins, one that will weather when exposed and another further in, emphasising the effect of discovery within this house. The steel used in this house is hidden, providing the user with a view of complete timber. Fundamentally, this house is a modern take on the vernacular "beach shack." (Timber Research Unit, n.d.)

References

Architecture Media. 2010. RAIA State Awards.
http://www.archmedia.com.au/aa/aaissue.php?issueid=199709&article=1&typeon=1 (accessed 12th March, 2010).

John Wardle. n.d. Balnarring Beach House.
 http://www.johnwardle.com/projects/default.htm?i_PageNo=1&ProjectId=16&pageNo=2&ProjectCategoryId=0&ProjectKindId=0&Featured=0&Archived=0&AllProjects=0&ViewMode=text (accessed 12th March, 2010).

Timber Research Unit. n.d. Isaacson/Davis Beach House. http://www.timberbuilding.arch.utas.edu.au/projects/aus/459/ (accessed 12th March, 2010).