The Lamble Residence, situated on an elevated position on the south coast of New South Whales, Australia, and overlooking the Gerringong beach was designed by Smart Design Studio to make the most of its 270deg views of the ocean, the adjacent headland and the evergreen hinterland beyond – all of which form part of the Great Dividing Range.
From the street, the home presents a simple and private facade wrapped in untreated cedar that will weather into a patina of silvery grey, similar to the shades within driftwood. The cedar continues from the sides of the home to create a solid balustrade to the upper terrace, further enhancing the privacy streetside. To the right of the entryway timber adjustable louvers cover the glazings, tempering the hot rays of the sun from the interior zones.
The building has been designed as a series of solids and voids that the strong natural light enhances. This light and dark effect flows with the shadows created by the rocks and the landscaping that surround the home, creating a harmonious environment for the home to settle into. The garden has been planted with a natural scrubby style, using plantings native to the area.
The back of the home features large walls of glazings and deep terraces that are sheltered on the 2nd floor by the cantilevered roofline on 3 sides. The glazings on the main level are either sheltered by the timbered louvers or by the the terrace above as it passes over the void that surrounds the exposed windows.
The louvers are all adjustable, allowing the homeowner to control the amount of sunlight that enters the interior zones.
The use of glass or solid sections to the facade is based on the zones within. The social zones on the main level are full of glazings that can open wide to a concrete patio for the perfect indoor/outdoor lifestyle.
The glazings that wrap the social zone slide and stack out of the way allowing the living and dining zones uninterrupted access to the outdoors.
The architects designed the Lamble Residence to have all the rooms open onto outdoor spaces on various sides of the house and on both levels of the house.
On the main level, the kitchen, dining, living and secondary bedrooms open up to the ocean on the north and the mountains to the west and while the kitchen does not open directly to the outdoors, the views from the prep space within the island are breathtaking.
The kitchen is a chef’s delight with its walls of Limed Oak cabinetry for storage, a gas cooktop with double ovens below and an island that is approximately 14′ long.
The kitchen is located at the front of the home and next to it is the foyer. In front of the foyer and backing the living room is stairwell to the upper volume.
The foyer is accessed from the entry via a beautiful oversized door clad in cedar that operates on a pivot.
The stairwell is an open riser design to allow the views of the ocean beyond to permeate the foyer. The timber used on the exterior of the home continues through onto the walls of the foyer and stairwell, blurring the lines of what is inside and what is outside. Complimenting the timber walls are the large format grey vitrified tiles on the floor and the dark features of the stairwell.
Limed oak cabinetry is used within the upper volume as well, and the soft pale tones of the wood are a perfect compliment to the ocean views beyond.
The family room upstairs also overlooks the evergreen hinterland beyond and the green of the pastures are brought indoors with a large potted specimen tree.
The terrace off of the family room is sheltered by the large cantilever to the roof line and, as with the social zone below, large walls of glazings can be slid and stacked out of the way to open the home up to the ocean breezes and create an uninterrupted connectivity to the outdoor zone.
A secondary kitchen is located on this upper level.
The upper volume is also the location of the Master Suite and it is positioned just next to the secondary kitchen. The Master Suite is also positioned to enjoy ocean views from its own private stretch of terrace.
The ensuite to the Master Suite is just around the corner from the sleeping zone. Clad in tile with a frameless shower surround, the room is light, bright and able to take advantage of the views.
A guest bathroom on the main level is offered privacy through timber louvers.
By positioning the social zones and Master Suite in such a way to take advantage of the views, the bathroom, laundry and garage where located to the south of the home. This layout challenged the local planning provisions, which dictate the configuration of rooms within a site and the architects had to appeal a first refusal of their plans, but after a few minor modifications, the local council approved the design.
Smart Design Studio
