Roth Architecture designed The Northbridge House II in Sydney, Australia. A private residence it features rendered masonry, zinc cladding, spotted gum details and concrete. The Spotted Gum wood creates a warm and inviting post and glass facade to the back of the home complete with raised deck and sunken pool. A 2 storey home that sits on a sloped site, the main level features the social zones while the upper level is where the private zones are located. Both levels are flooded with natural light via the large expanses of windows while the roof overhang and the terrace overhang create shade from the hot sun.
The front of the residence also features Spotted Gum wood with its slatted curvaceous fence. This curvy form wraps itself around a preexisting tree that presides over the building offering its canopy for shade.
The entry to the home is flanked on one side by another slatted wood wall that surrounds window sections of the home for privacy. In the evenings the lights from within the house glow through the between the slats. The wood wall leads you to the door and continues inside as a solid wood feature. A small foyer with a polished concrete floor leads to a flight of stairs also in concrete.
The interior volume of the social zone is large and spacious, incorporating an open plan with the kitchen at one end and the living area at the other with two dining sections -one indoor and one outdoor – connecting them. More Spotted Gum Wood is featured on the slatted wall behind the couch, on a running board at the top of the kitchen cabinets and on posts and beams that frame the large expanses of windows, creating clerestory windows in the process.
The social zone of the residence is L shaped with the kitchen at the bottom of the leg and the dining area on the foot . this creates a cozy void within the silhouette that is perfect for the outdoor dining station.
The foot of the L shaped space is big enough to hold an oversized dining table capable of sitting 10. 1 large globular pendant hangs over the table and Herman Miller Moulded plastic and dowel chairs create a classic and comfortable seating arrangement.
A large glass door accesses the outdoor dining zone from the indoor dining and a tempered glass rail system protects the outdoor zone from the drop off to the pool level.
The pool level is 6 steps down from the dining area and a large wood deck surrounds the pool. For evening entertaining, lights within the inside edge of the pool light up the surrounding area while at the same time lights from inside the home flood outwards through the large expanses of glass. Upstairs the bedrooms have their drapes closed for privacy and the bathroom is inset for a reduced viewline.
With views overlooking the pool and landscaping the terrace and windows play an important role even in the privacy of a bathroom. The mirrored wall above the vanity reflects the views within its backsplash and upper cabinets while the tub has a front row seat overlooking the terrace. Large Spotted Gum framed windows open for cross breezes and a tempered glass panel keeps the shower water contained to the tub.
The terrace is clad in tiles – a material that does not off gas in the heat – and the rail system consists of tempered glass panels set onto a small pony wall and capped with a 2×6 Spotted Gum handrail.
On a beautiful evening the residence offers multiple choices for outdoor enjoyment. Whether relaxing on the terrace above, dining just outside the living zone or taking a midnight swim, this home has it all.
In addition to the indoor – outdoor lifestyle, the featured material of Spotted Gum wood used throughout the home adds a layer of warmth and richness that makes this residence an inviting and comfortable place to enjoy. The natural element of the wood is featured in both the public and private areas, starting with the façade and its slatted fencing and finishing in the privacy of the bathrooms via trimwork.
Roth Architecture
Photography by Murray Fredericks
