A client asked us to design their new holiday house on the Murray River in South Australia. The family has teenage children – who have lots of friends, as do the parents – so flexible intergenerational functional planning was a must.
The brief was simple. A four-bedroom holiday house with adaptable big open plan living areas and large windows and extensive external landscaped lawns to enjoy the magnificent Murray River land and waterscape – in other words a house connected to nature and its environment. For summer, the house opens to embrace the outside, in winter the focus is internal.
Being a holiday house, selection of low upkeep and durable materials was mandatory. Stone, timber, concrete and glass, aluminium frames, CFC sheeting, plasterboard/ tiles, and a marine grade metal deck roof. A large shed was required for all the toys; cars, boats, mowers, caravan, motor bikes.
The site is approximately 4 hectares of treeless grazing land with a northerly aspect, with the Murray River on its northern boundary. The house was positioned on a small rise, as close to the water as possible, to maximise great views to the west, north and east of the river with the Mt Lofty ranges in the far background.
The house is orientated due north with lots of glass to catch the views and winter sun, but with large overhangs to control northern summer sun. The house is naturally ventilated, expect for owner-controlled periods of extreme weather.
In winter, there are strong winds that blow across the site from due south to northwest that seem to come straight off the Arctic , so the south elevations act as wind break with minimal openings.
Site planning used the toy store to protect the house entry and provide some protection to the north facing external entertainment and play areas from the winter southerly winds.
The clients wanted their bedroom complex in the NE corner with the best views and winter sun. This has generated a split, two wing plan.
The wings are stepped so that the entry/ dining areas get the morning sun and eastern views with a protected outdoor deck between them.
