West Coast Homes

WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU DARLING SCARP PROJECT

MARCH 2020

EDITION LUXURY PROJECTS PRICE RANGES FROM $600K TO $12M

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INDIVIDUAL HOMES SPANNING ACROSS WESTERN AUSTRALIA

PHOTOS NICKTHAKE.COM

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S H O W C A S I N G W E S T E R N A U S T R A L I A’ S B U I L D E R S & A R C H I T E C T S I

SHOWCASING DARK LIGHT DESIGN JANUARY 2019

WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU CONTENTS

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BROOKS CONSTRUCTION

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DI VINCENZO CONSTRUCTIONS

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BE PROJECTS

Magnificent Dream Home in Hillarys

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TALLWOOD CONSTRUCTIONS

Resoundingly Successful Transformation in Yallingup

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CITY BEACH EXCEPTIONAL HOMES

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MERCEDES CONSTRUCTION

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Making the most of available space ... in a stand out way

Exceptional Port Coogee Canal Home Dazzles and Delights

Award-Winning Construction and Design Innovation in West Perth

SHOWCASING WA BUILDERS & ARCHITECTS MARCH 2020

Triangular Home at the Apex of Good Design and Construction

CONTENTS WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

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SIGNATURE HOMES

Luxury Style and Family Living Combine at Peppermint Grove

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DARK LIGHT DESIGN

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Q GROUP WA

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M / CONSTRUCTION

Building to comply with Bushfire Attack Levels

LUXUS HOMES HOME WITH A VIEW

PIRONE BUILDERS

This Henley Brook Home becomes a Family Estate

If music is your first love this City Beach home trebles the music of the future

M/Construction delivers a luxury residence built for living in

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU CONTENTS

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ROMANO HOMES

Stunning Contemporary Contrasts Showcased in Floreat Home

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SPADACCINI HOMES

This spectacular home built by Spadaccini Homes even recognises its owners...

MOSMAN BAY CONSTRUCTION Spacious, cutting-edge and privileged family living in Attadale

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GRANGE RESIDENTIAL + CONSTRUCTION Low-Maintenance Spaciousness for Bespoke North Beach Home

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CHADWICK BUILDERS

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DAGOSTINO DEVELOPMENTS

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Making the most of the spectacular view in Augusta

The Butterfly House...

A Unique home design in Leshenault

SHOWCASING WA BUILDERS & ARCHITECTS MARCH 2020

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ZAZEN BUILDING & DESIGN Elegant Family Home in City Beach

CONTENTS WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

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REN CONSTRUCTION

Luxury Leisure Lifestyle in the Heart of Hillarys

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LIME ST PROJECTS

Cascading Sophistication in Mosman Park

ELEMENT BUILDERS

Builder's own home an environmental success

Publisher..............................Gary Boulos Editorial................................Peter Leonard, Paul Goldie Admin ....................................Gina York Artwork Production......mike@opus1design.com.au Photographers..................Mark Cooper, Crib Creatve, Putrain Drawan, Nick Thake, Greg Hocking, Stephen Nicholls

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PRESTIGE HOMES

Residence designed to fit the future

www.westcoasthomes.com.au MARCH 2020 SHOWCASING WA BUILDERS & ARCHITECTS

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU SUCCESSFUL & SATISFYING DECK

Resoundingly Successful Transformation in Yallingup When a Yallingup resident decided to replace the deck of his house, he had many requirements. “It needed to exceed extreme bush fire regulations, be suitable for all weather conditions, be low maintenance, take in the best views, not compromise the design of the existing house, and add a bit of excitement to a difficult and somewhat dramatic site.”

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ulfilling this brief would require a premier professional team, and the homeowner opted for Dane Design Australia, an industry leader located in Dunsborough.

“Dane considered my requirements and preferred materials, and responded with an absolutely awesome design which needed only very minor refinements due to my individual preferences. We never had to resort to a 'Plan B'. The result is a structure that I absolutely love... for living in, for looking out of and just for looking at. A truly successful and satisfying addition that really transforms how I feel about my home.”

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Award-Winning Design Projects Established in 1995, Dane Design Australia is a multi-award-winning building design company with an established international reputation. For nearly two decades, company founder Dane Richardson has been widely acknowledged as a designer who listens to clients and delivers innovative, technical and creative design. “Enthusiasm, creative flair, attention to detail and an immeasurable passion are signature to each and every DDA project,” he says.

Dane has worked as far afield as China and India and maintains ongoing commissions in

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Indonesia. Closer to the company office in Western Australia, DDA is constantly delivering new projects.

Dane Design Australia specialises in building design with an emphasis on delivering one-off design solutions to every project. “Sustainable development forms a backbone to all projects,” says Dane. “Crucial elements of this include low energy use, water re-use, and employing materials with low toxicity.” DDA projects are documented within 3D modelling software, and every project is modelled in explicit detail. “The use of this software enables a high degree of accuracy of the documentation, which in turn allows thorough

SUCCESSFUL & SATISFYING DECK WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

PHOTOS MARK COOPER

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU SUCCESSFUL & SATISFYING DECK

interrogation of the design, while offering the client an excellent medium to be able to fully understand the proposed design.”

For Dane, the process of design is not just a matter of bricks and mortar. “Great service is essential and this begins and ends with the forging of a practical understanding between designer and client. We know when we have truly succeeded; this is when the owner tells us they enjoyed the process as well as the outcome.”

Personalised Quality Control Operating in the business since 1998, Tallwood Constructions designs and builds award-winning architectural homes, as well as major renovations and additions, in the south-west region of Western Australia and select suburbs in Perth. The company specialises in “difficult sites and knockdown/rebuilds through innovative design and remarkable construction methods”.

Managing director Alex Campbell's philosophy is that the successful “bringing to life” of a client's dream home “lies within oneto-one personalised service, a high level of supervision and fastidious quality control through all stages”.

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SUCCESSFUL & SATISFYING DECK WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU SUCCESSFUL & SATISFYING DECK

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SHOWCASING TALLWOOD CONSTRUCTIONS MARCH 2020

SUCCESSFUL & SATISFYING DECK WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Contacts: Phone: 08 9791 7776 www.tallwood.com.au Phone: 9755 3861 www.danedesignaustralia.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU OTHELLO QUAYS ON THE EDGE

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SHOWCASING CITY BEACH EXCEPTIONAL HOMES MARCH 2020

OTHELLO QUAYS ON THE EDGE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Exceptional Port Coogee Canal Home Dazzles and Delights Design and building company City Beach Exceptional Homes likes to live up to its name. The company's aim is for all its projects to be unique and exceptional, and to “stand out on their own.” Certainly this has been achieved with this unique home in Othello Quays Port Coogee. The home is positioned on the edge of the canal on a man-made island, and is apparently attracting a lot of interest from passers-by due to its striking red and white façade and minimalist appearance.

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ccording to owner and manager of City Beach Exceptional Homes, Brian Connor, the clients are extremely happy with the finished result. Their new abode has provided them with what Mr Connor calls a “lifestyle home” that is flooded with natural light and provides some great views across the water to Rottnest Island.

Project brief The brief was for a custom-built lowmaintenance and spacious family home on the Port Coogee canals, with a northern aspect to allow access to the canal and to take advantage of oceanic views. The clients also wanted a large garage area not only for cars, but also for storage of surfboards and kayaks and to provide easy access to the water.

Home description The building: This is a three-level, four-bedroom 650sqm home which includes a full basement that is 250sqm in size and has enough room for five cars. The basement garage can be driven down into from street level, and can also be opened out onto the back canal – a feature which enables boat servicing and which also allows in extra filtered light.

The building has been oriented to take advantage of natural light and sunlight for warmth, which reduces the need for artificial light and heating. During winter, the floor absorbs heat from the northern sun, while in the warmer months shading and natural cross-ventilation are used to cool the house, reducing the need for air conditioning.

Interior: The inside of the home has an uncluttered simplicity about it, with bold colours adding a sense of playfulness, and natural materials creating a sense of warmth and comfort.

The main level includes living and dining areas, games room and a north-facing alfresco area, while the bathrooms and bedrooms are on the upper level, where there is also a balcony with glass balustrades.

The interior of the home is light, spacious and modern, with quality finishes and fixtures.

Finishes in the kitchen area include glass splashbacks and dark timber to add warmth.

Bathroom finishes include bold red for the walls and large mirrors to create a feeling of space.

Natural stone flooring has been used to add a warm texture. High ceilings and the extensive use of low-e glazing – including three-metre

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU OTHELLO QUAYS ON THE EDGE

high glazing across the rear of the house – allow in plenty of natural light and provide 180-degree views across the water.

Exterior: Angular shapes have been incorporated into the façade which frames the front of the house, while a black blade wall that runs from the street front to the centre of the home provides strength to the structure of the building and also makes a bold statement.

Materials include textured rendering and ebony stone facebrick boundary walls, polished plaster, and striking red and white feature Alucobond – an aluminium composite material

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that is practical and eco-friendly as well as beautiful. Materials were selected for lowmaintenance and also for the contrasting appearance between the rough/textured and the smooth/bright.

Other features of the home include a pool, private jetty, and low-care waterwise landscaping.

Project challenges Weather conditions: Being positioned close to the Southern Ocean meant that materials had to be carefully selected to suit the climate. This required using hardwearing materials and applying special treatment to steelwork. It also meant that there

SHOWCASING CITY BEACH EXCEPTIONAL HOMES MARCH 2020

was a need to avoid the use of any timber linings, and to take steps to weatherproof the house to protect it from leakage.

Sunken garage: In this design, the clients wanted a garage on the bottom level, but also desired that the main level access be close to the street. This led to the need to excavate to create a basementlevel garage below street-level. The design is also unusual in that the basement is of a full size rather than partial.

Mr Connor said this presented some challenges, but managing it was really only a matter of good planning to achieve the desired outcomes.

OTHELLO QUAYS ON THE EDGE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Successes and achievements As well as good management of the challenges, there are numerous successes in this project, including: ■ The home's eye-catching appearance, which is, according to Mr Connor, creating quite a bit of public interest, with people “stopping to take a look.”

■ Achievement of a home that meets not only the clients' brief for a light, bright and modern home with views and access to the water, but that is also lowmaintenance, especially considering how close it is to the ocean.

■ Construction was completed much more quickly than anticipated, taking around 15 months, with handover occurring six months ahead of schedule. Mr Connor said the positive comments from the owner's friends and associates on the quality of the finishes were very reassuring. “We strive to raise the bar with each home we build.”

■ The building company is particularly pleased with the black blade wall at the front of the home, the basement garage, and the way the northern sunlight filters into internal and external living areas overlooking the canal and private jetty.

■ Lastly, the clients are over the moon with their new home and lifestyle – which is what really matters in the end when it comes to the delivery of the finished product! They report being particularly happy with the home's spaciousness and uncluttered nature, as well as the pool, alfresco area and canal access.

City Beach Exceptional Homes has been written up in several publications for its unique and stunning designs and use of natural materials. Certainly the achievements in this project show that the company has lived up to its own standards and its reputation with this home-on-the-water at Port Coogee.

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SHOWCASING CITY BEACH EXCEPTIONAL HOMES MARCH 2020

OTHELLO QUAYS ON THE EDGE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Contact: Phone: 9388 8040 www.citybeachexceptionalhomes.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU MBA AWARD IN WEST PERTH

PHOTOS CRIB CREATIVE

Award-Winning Construction and Design Innovation in West Perth The challenges in completing this outstanding residential project were daunting on several key fronts.

Not only was the working space tight but access for construction was also complicated, requiring meticulous traffic management and trade coordination – and even a live sewerage redirection.

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n the end the project in West Perth was a resounding success, eventually being honoured with an MBA award in the category of “Innovative Construction for Small Lots”.

“It was an intensely programmed project,” recalls Adrian Gagiero, Director of Mercedes Construction. “Full trade coordination was required during the build due to catering for the small work areas and heavy traffic.

Deliveries had to be well timed and scheduled, which meant the building program was constantly updated to ensure the project was kept on track, and coordination of deliveries was considered with the local residents, taking

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into account the room on site and subcontractors' requirements.”

Architect Barry Baltinas substantiates these difficulties. “The space that we had to work with was extremely tight and access for construction was challenging. The design responds to the site's unique connection to the water elements of the Swan River, the earth elements of Kings Park and the air elements of the space and views. The home's vertical conceptual framework responds to these whilst being constrained by its block size and topography.”

Several applications were made to the council for permanent work zones and

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temporary road closures. “Prior to any road closures, pamphlet drops to residents were essential,” notes Mr. Gagiero, “to assist with the overall communication of the street access arrangements.”

A live sewerage redirection was also required on site, which meant a temporary system for a period of two months. “We had to re-organise the job around the sewer to ensure there was no inconvenience to the residents and broader community. Refurbishment of the existing sewer line was part of the overall house build, and was completed in stages when the project progressed around those works.”

MBA AWARD IN WEST PERTH WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Design Connections with Earth Elements The 168 square metre lot is located in a culde-sac and the house is built on six levels comprising a basement, split-level floors one to four, and a rooftop area with pool. “This verticality required an ordered sequence of zoning as you travel up the home,” explains Mr. Baltinas. “The home was prioritised accordingly, with living zones on the higher levels to take advantage of the views and outlook whilst the bedrooms were on the lower levels, providing a more serene treelined outlook. This ordering was also a direct response to acoustics.”

At the street front there is a living green wall façade creating a natural connection to the public domain. This provided inspiration for the built form, according to Mr. Baltinas, “a context where Kings Park meets the city, through the leafy green Mount Street. Architecture here extends itself vertically through its folding walls, creating an origami effect both inside and outside the home.

Expanding and contracting similar to our breath – which connects us to life.”

The external fabric of the home comprises exposed and washed aggregate concrete walls whose individual textures and colours draw inspiration from the colours and aggregate

found in Kings Park. This natural texture continues into the home, encompassing the sixlevel central light void. “As you move throughout the building,” says Mr. Baltinas, “you continually have that connection to this earth element from both within and out.”

The central light-filled spine that runs up the vertical void within the home also contains an open glass lift and stairs, with this glasssurrounded circulation space providing a continual connection to the external elements.

The dining room is built in a mezzanine style above the living area and sits directly under the glass-bottom rooftop pool, “creating a play of

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU MBA AWARD IN WEST PERTH

light and colour through the reflection of the water elements whilst taking its visual cues from the Swan River beyond”. The angled glass skin that encapsulates the living and dining room creates a waterfall effect when rainfall navigates its way down the glass façade. The glass-bottom pool features its own glass face wall cantilevered out toward the Swan River, and this rooftop space links directly to a kitchenette and living and relaxation area. “A location where the freedom to express subtle sculptural form in architecture links itself to this unique and rare setting,” says Mr. Baltinas.

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Innovative Building Techniques Exposed aggregate precast building materials were used as the external façade. According to Mr. Gagiero, “A high level of coordination was required to ensure that all the angles and connection points worked without any damage occurring. All panels were inspected by the builder for quality and consistency before being transported to the site. Both site supervision and strong rigging expertise were required to ensure the success of this vital element.”

AFS panels were used in the basement structure, allowing the project to get out of the

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ground and up to street level in a compressed time-frame. Foundations were based on a screw piles design due to the existing main sewerage lines and the need to work around essential infrastructure in the area.

Due to the nature of the site location, limited access and lay-down areas, a tower crane was required. This necessitated a structural upgrade and design coordination with services to provide sufficient room for the crane base.

One of the other main building challenges related to the difficult site conditions was the requirement for a combination of ground

MBA AWARD IN WEST PERTH WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

stabilisation techniques (screw piling and micro-fine grouting) to ensure the steep benched configuration of the land was suitable for the building.

A public thoroughfare used by pedestrians, tourists, and exercise personnel was subject to extensive traffic management to ensure the safety of the public while allowing the work program and deliveries to be completed, including semi-trailers transporting precast panels down a narrow and steep street and the complicated logistics of delivering and dispersing more than 100 tonnes of marble.

Other key issues that had to be resolved included the installation of more than 126 six-metre deep 220kN screw piles, completed in three stages as site access was tight due to limited work space and adjoining structures. The installing machine size was limited to a 13-tonne excavator to provide the operator with maximum manoeuvrability around the site. Granite tiles and washed aggregate panels were chosen to take advantage of their high thermal resistance, thus improving liveability and decreasing energy expenditure to suit a comfortable environment. The house was designed to take advantage of the outstanding

views. Aneeta windows with no centre transom were used for optimum results, and this philosophy was also applied to the balustrade walls and swimming pool, which were glazed for clear views of the river. To add to the creative feel of the house a glass floor panel was inserted in the pool base – visible from the third and fourth floors.

Energy efficiency was an important element in the design. Solar panels were used to provide a different power source to run the house during daylight hours; and the glazed façade incorporates double-glazing and motorised louvers to assist in obtaining a high energy efficiency rating.

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU MBA AWARD IN WEST PERTH

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SHOWCASING MERCEDES CONSTRUCTION MARCH 2020

MBA AWARD IN WEST PERTH WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

In conclusion, for Adrian Gagiero, in addition to the project's MBA award and its high-quality finishes throughout, other aspects that gave the team a special sense of satisfaction and achievement were “dealing with clients, neighbours and authorities to ensure we minimised the impact of our works while allowing the construction processes to proceed: the innovative building techniques and materials used to accommodate a unique design; and a construction program meticulously created to ensure seamless delivery and work processes for materials and trades�.

Contacts: Phone: 6382 3940 www.mercedesconstruction.com.au Phone: 9328 1887 www.baltinas.com

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU HILLARYS UPMARKET LIFESTYLE

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SHOWCASING BROOKS CONSTRUCTION MARCH 2020

HILLARYS UPMARKET LIFESTYLE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Magnificent Dream Home in Hillarys The owners of this eye-catching property wanted to downsize from their previous home while maintaining a high degree of luxurious living. To that end, they choose a vacant block not far from Hillarys' picturesque boat harbour and the ocean beyond, created their own design, and commissioned experienced personal home builders Brooks Construction to bring the project to fruition.

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reviously, the owner had been living in a large two-storey house – but without a rear yard. His objective was to create a new upmarket, single-story residence, with extremely high levels of finish; a lawncovered play area at the rear of the property, including a pool and everyday outdoor shower; and a three-car garage. The design required the installation of a modern-style flat roof to the front of the home – without compromising on quality and finish.

This led to one of the first issues that had to be addressed by Neil and Curtis and their team at the start of the building process. An

extensive list of covenants applying at Harbour Rise in Hillarys included a restriction that roofs mainly had to have a pitch of 25 degrees (i.e. no flat roofs).

Once that was resolved, other major challenges during the project involved building a large, alfresco, counter-lever, overhanging roof, and alfresco stacker doors with corner-less openings into the living area.

The provisional initial budget was $750,000 and Brooks Construction were able to keep this to an acceptable $775,000. They completed the work in the allotted six months, and shire approval time was two weeks (designed to suit R Code).

Neil says his favourite features are a theatre at the front of the house with an expansive picture window (6.0m x 2.4m) overlooking the nearby Marbella Park, a backyard pool with flushline water level, a unique raindrop water feature, and flowing creepers over the pool area.

Personal Home Builders – Offering Exceptional Workmanship Founded in 1977, Brooks Construction offer clients the concept of a personalised home building experience from start to finish. “We always hold onto the best people so you can feel confident in the

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU HILLARYS UPMARKET LIFESTYLE consistency of our quality workmanship. Many of these craftsmen have been with us for many years. Because we trust their work, you can trust our work.”

The company's approach to home construction is “to rely on the best equipment and the most talented tradesmen to provide the attention to detail and exceptional workmanship our clients have come to expect”.

For Brooks Construction, every individual, couple or family is unique, with their own idea of what it takes to make the perfect home. “Some know the features they want in their new homes while others need more inspiration and guidance to fully develop the ideas they have in mind. As custom home builders, we give our clients in Perth the flexibility in options that they need to make their new home their own… with features that reflect their tastes and lifestyles.

“The fact is that true luxury means something different to everyone. For some people, location is the most important factor. Others are more interested in modern style. We start every job by listening to our clients to learn what is important to them.”

Brooks Construction's main areas of speciality are luxury houses, custom homes and two-storey residences. “Our process is time-tested for getting quality results that meet or exceed every client's expectations. First-class materials and craftsmanship are used every step of the way for a consistently high-quality luxury home.”

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HILLARYS UPMARKET LIFESTYLE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

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Contact: Phone: 6241 1500 www.brooksconstruction.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU SUBIACO’S FINE CHINA SITE

Making the most of available space... in a stand out way As residential blocks continue to diminish in size and increase in value – particularly in inner-city areas – an innovative and resourceful approach to the utilisation of available space is an increasingly important part of a residential design brief. This was very much the case with a recent Di Vincenzo Constructions project in Wunderlich Road, Subiaco, where space limitations were cleverly overcome to create a residence of great style and panache.

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etting a benchmark for narrow lot design and build Located in Subiaco’s Fine China Site, the block was 9m wide and comprised a total of 236sqm. Designer Jason from Arc Seven.1 was tasked with creating a home that would stand out from the streetscape and would set the benchmark for narrow lot design and build.

The home extends over three levels, with a combined total of 420sqm including entertaining areas.

The striking exterior features timber slat cladding from the front of the home around the

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catwalk entry to the grand entrance of the home.

A bold, white matrix-cladded façade that features black PFC steel surrounds the 4.8m single panel glass window to provide a taste of what is to come as you enter through the pivot front door.

Inside the house a floor-to-ceiling glass window frames an outside pool with a cascading water feature on black glass mosaics.

The ground floor is tiled with large-format marble in the open plan living, dining and kitchen area which features 5.4m ceilings.

Slatted timber covers the living/dining wall, reflecting natural light from the 9m long skylight window in the front entry façade.

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Natural light a constant feature The luxurious kitchen boasts custom joinery, stone tops and a glass roof which, again, provides natural light to the interior. A stacking sliding door branches off the living areas to provide entry to the outdoor entertaining and pool area.

The ground floor also contains a separate home office, bathroom, laundry, double garage and store.

Stairs and a lift provide access to the next two floors. A marble staircase leads to a catwalk bridge, encased in floor-to-ceiling glass and overlooking the living area below, providing access to the theatre room. There are two

SUBIACO’S FINE CHINA SITE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

bedrooms on this level, together with separate bathroom and powder room.

A steel staircase with jarrah treads leads to the second floor and the large main bedroom, which has a walk-in robe and a glamorous bathroom with free-standing bath. Also on this level is a ‘sky lounge’, a separate entertaining/living zone with a large private balcony.

Luxury resort feel on a narrow block Di Vincenzo Constructions believe that through the quality of design and build of the home they have been able to achieve a luxury resort feel on what is essentially a narrow block.

The company says that the main objective of the project was to showcase a luxurious, spacious home that didn’t feel like it was situated on a 9m wide, 236sqm block and wasn’t just another ‘square boxed home’. It was important to have depth in its overall street appeal and this was achieved by clever design to allow light through various areas of the home.

Natural light was the key to being able to showcase some beautiful materials including marble, timber and steel throughout the home.

Every aspect, from design to construction, was intended to create a home in which residents feel like they are in their own resort.

Needless to say, building on a grand scale in a restricted space in the heart of Subiaco is not without its challenges. Careful planning in coordinating deliveries, supplier and trades on site was essential to ensure continuity of work flow.

Materials used in construction of the residence included marble tiles, timber batten cladding to the living/dining feature wall and external façade, matrix cladding to the theatre room and rear of the home, external feature steel work, feature steel and jarrah treads for the staircase, and bronze mirror cladding on the lift exterior.

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU SUBIACO’S FINE CHINA SITE

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SUBIACO’S FINE CHINA SITE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Boutique builder specialising in custom luxury homes Since its inception in 1994, Di Vincenzo Constructions has been a boutique builder specialising in custom luxury homes in the Perth market. The company chooses to work on only a handful of projects each year as it considers this necessary in order to ensure it can deliver high quality homes with personalised service to each client.

Director Gino Di Vincenzo, who has over 40 years in the building industry, deals directly with clients at the initial start-up stages through to

personal supervision of each of our client’s home. Mr Di Vincenzo believes clients are more comfortable and at ease knowing that the owner of the company has full control of every stage of construction of their home.

“Our clients have not only invested financially in their home but also emotionally and, as most builds go for a couple of years, the relationship between client and builder is important,” Mr Di Vincenzo said. “Communication is vital and having a transparent relationship with our clients, designer, trades and suppliers is a key aspect to our business.”

Di Vincenzo Constructions are presently working on a number of other projects including a 1200+sqm three-storey home which overlooks the Swan River in Applecross, and a unique and innovatively designed home perched above the river in Bicton.

Contact: Phone: 0415 041 778 www.divincenzoconstructions.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU ODD-SHAPED PIECE OF LAND

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SHOWCASING BE PROJECTS MARCH 2020

ODD-SHAPED PIECE OF LAND WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Triangular Home at the Apex of Good Design and Construction Anyone who's ever bought an odd-shaped piece of land and been told “you can't build on that!” must not have come across the builders and architect involved in this unique and unusual three-sided home in Mt Lawley.

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he building has been designed and built to suit its tiny triangular-shaped lot and to maximise every bit of usable space, while providing the clients with the privacy they desired.

Builders for the project were BE Projects under the leadership of director Troy King, with Simone Robeson from Robeson Architects doing the design work.

Project brief Clients for the project – a professional couple – were also the architects for the building, which was to provide them with their new office for the architectural business on the ground floor, living space above and a spare room with its own bathroom. The list of desires for the building included views to the outside – Hyde Park is close by – balanced with a need for privacy, and for the

building to be minimalist in style with plenty of internal spaciousness and a luxurious feel.

The clients contracted BE Projects to do the construction work – a company that is dedicated to meeting clients' needs and with plenty of experience in buildings that are efficient as well as innovative.

Project challenges This was no ordinary or standard build. The shape and size of the block at 180sqm presented challenges in itself. It is also positioned in a very busy area only a few minutes from the city, has an easement at the rear boundary, and is very close to power lines.

According to Mr King, all this required a “careful and deliberate management process.” He also says that modified scaffolding was required for good safety management, due to the proximity of the

power lines. It was also necessary of course to work closely with the council and owners of neighbouring properties to gain the necessary planning approvals for this unique project.

Finished result The completed project consists of a 28sqm home office accessed at street level, and a 70sqm living area above with a striking cantilevered triangular-shaped balcony which lines up with the site's apex corner. The home was designed economically, with savings in some areas allowing for the desired luxury finishes in others.

Exterior: The exterior uses brickwork for the lower office level, while the upper living level is made up of sharp geometric shapes and has been rendered

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in polar white. This level also includes a projecting steel-box window with one-way glass, which allows the owners to see out while maintaining their privacy. Low-e acoustic glazing has been used to dampen noise from outside.

The boundary wall has been painted with a rather hypnotic mural by a local artist, adding an extra creative flourish to the property.

Interior: The inside of the building almost brings Doctor Who's Tardis to mind, in that it appears quite remarkable that it could have such a spacious interior! The main living and dining area is minimalist, open-plan and spacious, while also possessing a sense of warmth and comfort. There are no

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cluttered or cramped areas inside, and there is also plenty of storage – which includes a low cupboard in hoop pine plywood right along one wall for books and magazines, and use of the under-stair space for storing the couple's pushbikes.

Internal materials, fixtures and features include: ■ Custom-steel for balustrading and steel-box window.

■ Ebony-stained LVL (Laminated Veneer Lumber) beams for the stair treads.

■ Flooring – burnished concrete flooring displaying varying colours and textures in the living areas, achieved by using a careful process while finishing the wet concrete and carefully sealing it with a natural oil.

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■ Hoop pine plywood used for panelling, cladding and for inbuilt furniture.

■ Ensuite – charcoal mosaic tiles have been used throughout. There is also a custom mirrored storage cupboard to add a sense of space, a clear skylight above the shower for stargazing at night and Rogerseller plumbing fixtures.

■ Kitchen – includes 2-pac polyurethane for cabinet fronts, matt ivory tile splashback, and an island bench with a polished Nero Marquina marble top. This is complemented by a marble table with black steel legs that fits into the island bench when not being used. Miele and Smeg appliances have also been installed.

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■ Glazing – clever use of low-e glazing has created a very light and airy interior. This includes a stunning waterfall skylight window above the staircase that adds a luxurious tone to the building.

The home has a number of inbuilt furniture pieces that have been designed by the architect and builder throughout the process. The clients have also added their own furniture to match the home's interior.

Successes and achievements There are so many successes in this project it's hard to know where to begin. On a site of this size and position just being able to meet the

clients' brief leaves little room for error! Both design and construction have been cleverly and expertly managed to achieve what the client wanted in every minor aspect and detail.

Mr King considers the main achievements to be the fact that the clients were satisfied with the results, and that they felt able to go away a couple of times during construction – which shows the level of trust that had developed in the relationship. He is also particularly proud of the unique waterfall window above the stairs, and the honed concrete floor which adds a warmth – unlike so many concrete floors which can be cold and hard in appearance and feel.

The clients are obviously very happy with their office and abode, which certainly

showcases their belief that it is possible to affordably develop small odd-shaped lots into spacious, innovative buildings. It also provides them with an excellent advertisement for their architecture business, which is now being run from the very office built by BE Projects.

Contact: Phone: 9478 1078 www.beprojects.com.au

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Luxury Style and Family Living Combine at Peppermint Grove Just a short distance from the Esplanade at Peppermint Grove, and overlooking the Swan River with views of the city skyline, is where you will find this architecturallydesigned 1,100sqm luxury mansion built by Signature Custom Homes.

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his beautifully constructed home combines resort living with artistic style and quality workmanship in every minor detail throughout, without any exception or compromise.

The clients and their brief The clients, Simon and Donna Jackson, had seen a number of homes built by Signature Custom Homes and were so impressed by the quality of workmanship and attention to detail that they realised they wanted one of their own. The home was to have a unique look, and to incorporate some of the design

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elements the Jacksons had experienced during their time in Canada.

They were actually based in Vancouver during the project, and were making occasional short trips back to Perth, which meant that most of the communication with the Signature Homes team happened remotely – either online or by telephone. This also meant they needed to be able to put their trust completely in the design and building teams from start to completion of the project.

Signature Custom Homes' director Dave Steadman and the building team kept the Jacksons informed all the way through. This

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meant they were able to see the project go from a concept on paper to a building skeleton and then to a fully formed home, without being present for much of the time during the process.

The builders and architect Signature Custom Homes is the luxury arm of the Steadman Building Group, and is involved in the design and construction of unique one-off properties. The company strives for perfection in every tiny detail of its projects, and has won a number of design awards, including Custombuilt Home of the Year, Award for Innovation, and New Kitchen Project of the Year.

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The architect for the project was Gary Keen of Gary Keen Design – a North Fremantle company with very high standards and with many years of experience in commercial buildings, residential homes and multi-storey apartment projects in Perth.

Home description Exterior: External features and finishes of the home include polished plaster, stone cladding, drystone piers, texture coated render, low-pitch tiled roof, expansive use of glazing, and an American oak front door. Driveways and

walkways are made from washed aggregate and basalt tiling and paving.

Outside areas include terraced garden beds, a sunken fire pit, a large fishpond, a basalt stonetiled pool and spa with its own stone pool house, basalt paved areas, two alfresco areas, an artistic staircase with basalt stone treads, and spaces for four cars in the two double garages.

Interior: Once inside, it's clear this home has been built for luxury and comfort, fun and family living, working, studying, and plenty of entertaining – all in the one property and incorporated over three levels.

■ Basement – this level is designed for recreation, relaxation and entertainment. It includes a guest suite, games room, gym, sports bar, impressive temperature-controlled wine cellar, and a theatre room with tiered seating. This level also features one of the alfresco areas, which leads out to the pool and spa.

■ Second storey – this is the main living, dining and working level, and includes both formal and informal spaces. The formal living and dining area includes huge two-storey glass windows and a built-in bar, while the informal living area comprises a casual dining space and two separate living areas. It also opens

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out to the second alfresco area, which comes with its own heater, barbecue, wood-fired pizza oven, fridge and icemaker.

There is even a butler's pantry with top quality appliances including Sub-Zero fridge and freezer, and food preparation and storage areas.

Kitchen features include stone benchtops, oak breakfast bar, lacquered cabinets and scullery.

Mr Jackson's office is also on this level, and has been designed for overnight conferences to take place without disturbing the rest of the household.

■ Top level – upstairs is the sleeping area. It includes a master suite which comes with a customised bed with retractable television, and an ensuite with stone-topped vanity, freestanding bath and shower with frameless

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screen. There is also a private balcony and some great views of the river.

■ A 'drop zone' with cabinets for the kids to use for their sports and school gear.

There is a children's wing on this level with four bedrooms, each with its own ensuite and walk-in robe. The kids' area also comes with a lounge area for the family's three sons and a private balcony area for their daughter.

Floor finishes include lime-washed burnt oak floorboards, plush carpet upstairs, and natural stone tiles in wet areas.

Particular features: Some of the special features of the home include: ■ A lift to all levels.

■ A communications room which provides fully programmable sound, video, lighting and security.

■ A timber screen to the kitchen in aged oak.

■ Custom oak doors.

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Challenges and achievements As the clients were based for most of the time in Vancouver, they needed to be able to place their full trust in Dave Steadman and his team.

This was also the biggest and most complex single home project that Signature Custom Homes had undertaken up to that point.

Mr Steadman said that the trust placed in the team from the beginning came with an “enormous weight of responsibility for myself and my team to deliver on promises and fulfil their trust.”

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According to the clients; this has more than been achieved “We had a tremendous level of trust and belief in the Signature Homes team. We are absolutely thrilled with the result. The quality of the workmanship is second-to-none. It is this detail and quality that separates Signature Custom Homes from its competition. We are delighted with our house and throughout, our relationship with Signature Homes has been outstanding.�

It certainly seems that Signature Custom Homes has lived up to its own standards of excellence and aspiration to perfection on this unique Peppermint Grove residence!

Contact: Phone: 9335 6288 www.signaturehomes.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU BANKS OF THE SWAN RIVER

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HOME WITH A VIEW Perth is endowed with many areas that feature attractive and often stunning views, whether they be in the hills, on the coast or around the river.

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hen a residence is to be built on a site that features inspiring panoramas, the challenge for architects and builders is to ensure that house they design and construct will take the best advantage of its scenic surrounds.

This was very much the case for LUXUS Homes and Shayne Le Roy Design when they designed and constructed a family residence on The Esplanade, Mt Pleasant, where the site featured an abundance of attractive scenery. Mr Le Roy is one of Perth’s leading luxury residential designers and was awarded Designer of the Year by the BDAWA in 2013.

Maximising the remarkable views With the site being situated on the banks of the Swan River, the clients envisaged a design that would maximise the enjoyment of their remarkable views while at the same time

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providing a relaxed, resort style of environment for their young family. They were also keen to provide a safe and separate outdoor area for their children, away from the bustle and intrusion of the riverfront road.

Working closely with both the client and designer through the design and development stages, LUXUS Homes was able to facilitate the multitude of ideas into the construction of a warm and welcoming contemporary home.

The sloping elevation from back to front together with mature council trees in the adjacent riverfront park were major considerations in bringing the design elements together.

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Design worked around site constraints By working within the site constraints, a design evolved which allowed sympathetic use of the contours to overcome a lack of ground level visibility while also providing an entertainment deck which would capture the full extent of the commanding views.

The design for the site also provided the basis for integrated but individual living spaces that could provide privacy and retreat for both parents and children through the construction of a tri-level home. The site also provided its challenges. By creating an under croft and sinking the garage, the non-

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essential living areas of gym, theatre, cellar and pool bathroom were moved to street level, effectively overcoming one of the major site obstacles.

As a result, the first floor became the home’s focal point with the open plan living and kitchen areas flowing into an elevated entertainment deck and outdoor alfresco.

Although this provided uninterrupted views and the additional privacy and respite from street noise that the clients sought.

It also generated its own challenges in that the deck included a swimming pool.

Waterfall edge to the pool a perfect solution The solution came easily by simply incorporating a waterfall edge to the pool.

Functional and aesthetically pleasing, the edge maintains a level of privacy while also providing an interesting and imposing facade when viewed from street level.

With the home being located on a busy promenade, noise attenuation was a priority.

Double glazing ensured that noise would be greatly diminished while at the same time providing beneficial insulating properties for the east facing property. An impressive roofline that extends from the second storey to incorporate

and cover the first floor entertainment deck is a major feature of the facade. Lined with cedar and supported by stainless steel and cedar columns, it gives the home a grand but warm presence from street level.

Marine aquarium a unique feature The home incorporates a number of unique features including a fully equipped marine aquarium which adjoins the entry and living areas.

The pool also includes an innovative and rigid pool blanket which operates from within the base of the pool shell, providing additional safety and allowing foot traffic.

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As a major part of the brief was to create a feeling of warmth, natural products were used extensively throughout the residence. Timber features heavily with windows, columns and eave linings all being cedar. Stone in its many forms has been used extensively, both internally and externally, and on feature walls.

Key member of the executive team, Sales and Marketing Director Jarrad Cranston, says his focus is to facilitate business development and to provide personalised support to clients with the end-to-end building process.

“LUXUS Homes is a tight-knit team that specialises in building architecturally designed homes across Perth and the wider metropolitan region,” he said.

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Commitment to building strong client relationships “As a company, we aspire to deliver only the best with award-winning quality and finishes being the keystone upon which we build every home. Underpinning this philosophy is our commitment to building strong client relationships by providing professional and attentive support which extends beyond the normal building period.

“From providing guidance with design and selections decisions through to post handover support, we see building as more than just the construction phase.

Mr Cranston said LUXUS Homes is supported in its approach by a team of talented trades and premier suppliers who, through longstanding

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association, understand the company’s desire to deliver the best.

“A reflection of our performance is the number of awards that have been consistently bestowed upon LUXUS Homes by both the Housing Industry and Master Builders Association WA in the last decade.”

Mr Cranston said LUXUS Homes is currently nearing the completion of what he calls “a concrete masterpiece” in Applecross.

“Innovative in its design, it incorporates a remarkable and impressive concrete sail which extends from the top floor to ground level. Poured in-situ, it proved an architectural and engineering challenge which we were more than happy to take on!”

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Contacts: Phone: 9388 8812 www.luxushomes.com.au Phone: 9284 7711 www.shayneleroy.com.au

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This Henley Brook Home becomes a Family Estate

Most great projects begin with a client wish list, and this home which was to be situated on a 3.5 hectare property in Henley Brook certainly needed to be worthy of its site and location.

Photos: www.putraindrawan.com

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he clients wanted a sophisticated home with the feel of 'an estate'; a home which embraced the out-ofsuburbia feel and took advantage of the large expansive outdoors.

A number of major factors influenced Parm Tjhung, the project designer for this exclusive and unique home. One was the client's brief to provide them with their dream home – a large two storey home with a resort feel. They wanted the home to be informal, with spacious areas for family and friends, and have easy access between the inside and outdoors. The home needed three large bedrooms downstairs,

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with two guestrooms upstairs for grandchildren or guests sleeping over or family and friends holidaying from overseas. Each bedroom was to have its own ensuite. The upstairs area was to also include a home theatre and games room.

Downstairs, apart from the living areas, the clients wanted to have a good size swimming pool, a Jacuzzi, a gym, and a steam room.

Given the nature of the property, there was also to be a large shed for tractors, sit on mowers and gardening equipment. Cars would be housed in a 6 car garage. The final requirement was for a granny flat or self-contained caretaker's unit which was to be remote from the home.

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Other influencing factors related some of the basic principles of rural architecture in Australia such as deep verandas around the house to protect the house from the sun, energy efficiency and water efficiency. Additional factors such as orientation and topography also played an important part in the final footprint and design of the house.

As the actual site for the home was set some way back from a somewhat busy West Swan Road, Parm decided to create an entry statement with electric iron gates and a limestone bridge over the brook. From there, a drive along a lengthy winding driveway flanked

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by liquid amber trees up to a hill would finally reveal the home itself. This would give the house the estate feel that the client was after and set the scene for the actual home. A large garden round about and Porte Cochere emphasises the arrival to the home.

The property faces south west, so a wide wrap around verandah and covered balcony protect the home on its front elevation.

These serve to screen the harsh summer sun and let the winter sun through. Large windows and doors were utilised in to take advantage of the surrounding vista as well as allowing for cross ventilation.

The outdoor pergola is positioned on the south east side of the home to capture the morning sun throughout the year. A rustic pergola area with a round fire pit is directly accessible from the alfresco area, where this side of the home has the best vista of both the hill and the undulating landscaped garden. The swimming pool is on the north east end, enclosed on two sides by the gym and Jacuzzi cabana, giving the pool a courtyard area for wind protection. Overall, the design of the home allows the owners to mainly use the ground floor areas without having to go upstairs for everyday living.

This home is not only about visionary architecture. It is also about meticulous construction. The home was built by Pirone Builders, a respected Western Australian family business. Pirone Builders only takes on a selection of luxury homes each year. This ensures that the homes they construct are completed to the highest standards and with exceptional attention to detail. The directors share over 65 years of building experience between them – something that they refer to as 'The Pirone Difference'. Both directors have personal involvement in every home that they build. They embark on every project with the same aim in mind – to see their

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client's vision come to life in the hands of true professionals. And this home is certainly a testament to that philosophy. The company has an impressive portfolio of luxury residential, architectural commercial and specialist development projects to its name, so it was no wonder that the owners chose Pirone Builders to create this impressive home.

Whilst the home is firmly entrenched in a true Australian semi-rural setting, it also has an international flavour about it…via the finishes used to create this masterpiece. Local finishes include Donnybrook sandstone, limestone blocks, granite benchtops and Brushbox timber floor boards. More exotic materials combine the use of Chinese Mazu stone, Portugal cobble stone, Italian marble floors and American Cherry timber cabinets. Combine this with Parm Tjhung's Indonesian heritage and South East Asian project experience, and Pirone Builders' Italian heritage, and one can start to see how this can be such an opulent house and yet have a homely feel and be unpretentious and practical for day to day living.

And apart from being aesthetically pleasing on its large rural setting, the home is practical and respects the environment and climate it is situated within, boasting rainwater collection and underground grey water tanks.

Parm Tjhung won the project after a 'word of mouth' referral to the client. His company went on to take up the role of principal designer,

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contract administrator and project overseer.

Parm says, “I approached the home's design by embracing the outdoors as part of the overall design concept. Every part of this large property has been developed and landscaped to create a unifying theme – an Estate.”

“I was conscious of not wanting to create 'a little house on the prairie' given the scale of the land itself”, says Parm.

Parm firmly believes that he has been able to create the right scale and balance for the home, as the owners have been known to comment that “the moment you pass through the entrance double gates and the bridge over the dam you feel you're home, and yet the house is still out of sight further up the hill...”

Immigrating to Perth from Jakarta, Indonesia with his family in 1969, Parm continued his upper school education and went on to pursue his childhood passion to become an architect.

After Parm graduated in 1979 with a Bachelor of Architecture from W.A. Institute of Technology (now Curtin University) he worked for a number of prominent Perth architectural firms, such as Cameron Chisholm & Nicol, Commonwealth Department of Construction and Roger Gregson & Associates. Parm was fortunate to work on the State Library of Western Australia, Federal Police complex at Perth Airport, and the Swan Brewery Redevelopment in Mounts Bay Road, and many other smaller projects.

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The highlight of Parm's early career was working for an American based architects Mitchell/Giurgola & Thorp for the design of Australia's New Parliament House in Canberra.

It was an outstanding architectural masterpiece which was officially opened in 1988. He was also responsible for overseeing certain areas of Parliament House during its construction – which proved to be useful in his later years.

When Parm came back to Perth from the Canberra project in 1987, he wanted to open his own architectural practice. Perth was still a developing small city then and having been involved in large firms doing mainly large civic buildings he no longer had the appetite to continue in the same direction. Parm focused on the more personal residential architecture, which at the time was relatively unsophisticated. In 1988 he started Parm Tjhung Designs Pty Ltd, specialising in residential architecture.

In 1991 Parm applied for and became a registered builder. He now could provide his clients with the 'design and build' services which bridge the infamous 'great divide' between architects and builders. This meant that 'the guy who designed the house also built the house', and there was no buck to pass. Parm also started designing houses overseas, in Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Singapore and Bali.

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Contacts: Phone: 9248 6399 www.pironebuilders.com.au Phone: 0422 849 056 www.joshinterior.com.au Phone: 9316 8368 www.facebook.com/parmtjhungdesigns

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Building to comply with Bushfire Attack Levels

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While many people might think of a pole house nestled amongst the trees in the hills as idyllic, building and living in such locations can present many problems and even dangers, as bushfires in recent years in the more populated areas of the Darling Scarp have demonstrated.

s a result of recent tragic fires a set of standards and regulations (Bushfire Attack Level) have been put in place to regulate buildings in defined bushfire zones. A Bushfire Attack Level (BAL) is a means of measuring the severity of a building’s potential exposure to ember attack, radiant heat and direct flame contact. It is measured in increments of radiant heat expressed in kilowatts/m2.

Some builders prefer to avoid projects in the less settled areas of the hills, mainly because of the BAL regulations. There can also be substantial difficulties involved in building on difficult blocks, which may present with considerable slopes, rocky outcrops and be strewn with boulders.

However for Ironstone Homes the challenges of meeting BAL regulations and dealing with difficult blocks are their bread and butter.

Ironstone Homes principal Troy Butcher said the company specialises in the difficult builds that no one else wants to know about.

Project on Kelmscott ridge line An example of Ironstone Homes’ experience and expertise in this area was exemplified by a recent build on the Kelmscott ridge line.

The site overlooks the Brookton Highway valley and is precariously steep with only a small section of the lot being useable for building.

Surrounded by natural bush and located within a high bushfire risk area, a strong design process in line with alternative construction methods was required to meet the budget, BAL40 construction complexities and to maintain the beauty of the natural landscape and surroundings.

In collaboration with Darklight Design, Ironstone Homes resolved a construction

methodology that would sustain the bush fire attack necessities and meet budget requirements.

Using this base methodology, a simplified rectangular pod for each core family and private area was positioned along the ridge line.

Interconnecting passages and bridges then link the zones. This reduced the building’s impact on the natural landscape and kept the structure below the pods to a minimum, thereby saving on build costs.

The building footprint did not follow a conventional bush pole home which allowed for a modern interpretation of the traditional pole home architectural style, external cladding and roof forms. Cladding the house in low maintenance and fire-retardant materials, such as metal cladding and fibre cement claddings, created a striking home that literally hangs off the side of the ridge line.

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Steep site a challenge Ironstone Homes’ Troy Butcher said that apart from BAL requirements, the greatest challenge was the steep embankment on the site.

“Our philosophy is to try and eliminate as much site work as possible and try and deal with the block, because site works are costly and if you can avoid them, do so. And these costs can be avoided through smart design.”

Mr Butcher said that being a clay site, there were problems with site works and the time of year.

“We got stuck with doing site works in the middle of winter,” he said. “We had all the

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footings dug and it rained, it just poured. And because the soil doesn’t drain up there, and there is rock underneath it, we had to shut the site down for four weeks until it dried out.

Another challenge was access to the site and getting diggers down to it. “With those hilly sites there is granite there and you just don’t know when you are going to hit it,” Mr Butcher said. “We were very lucky and only had a couple of footings where we hit stone. So we had to design around the problem: instead of having smaller, deeper footings, we designed the house, in consultation with the engineer, to have wider, shallower footings, the idea being

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the less you dig in the ground the less likely you are to hit rock.”

BAL specifications a major consideration Building to BAL specifications using noncombustible materials was clearly a major consideration and much research was involved in finding suppliers who could provide compliant materials at a suitable price.

Mr Butcher said that windows were a good example of the difficulty in finding the right supplier.

“There are a number of BAL 40 windows available, but there are three ways to create a

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BAL 40 compliant windows and one of them is a lot cheaper than the other two. We were able to find a window supplier (BGS Windows) that had had all its windows tested and therefore didn’t have to have screens and some other requirements.”

The supplier chosen by BGS Windows uses the fully-tested and certified system. AWS has 50 tested windows to BAL 40. This range allows BGS to glaze within 400mm of the floor without requiring screening.

Aluminium Innovations supplies to the WA market the full range of AWS BAL 40 tested and certified products in the residential,

commercial and thermally broken systems Products from BGS Windows used on this project include Frame 400 commercial, 616 awnings, 618 magnum sliding doors and 462 commercial sliding windows. 6mm toughened glass was used throughout together with aluminium mesh to screens which included BAL 40 rated splines.

Non-combustible materials used throughout Mr Butcher said an adjustable stump system using Duragal, made by One Steel, was employed on the site. “So we have noncombustible stumps, a metal bearer and on top

of that we went to a timber floor joist. The whole house is actually timber-framed but we made it comply with metal wall cladding and fibre cement cladding.

“What we have done is build a pole home using metal poles, metal claddings and noncombustible material.”

Ironstone Homes are currently working on a BAL 40 house in Darlington and a BAL 29 house in Wandi. Other projects include a renovation/extension in Swan View and another in Kelmscott (BAL 40), an A-frame house in Darlington and a farmhouse in Narrogin.

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Contacts:

Troy butcher 0404 009 578 Troybutcher@ironstonehomes.com.au

Adam Butcher 0402 537 666 adam@darklightdesign.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU ENTERTAINING PROJECT

If music is your first love this City Beach home trebles the music of the future With music being a passion of the clients for this stunning City Beach home, the design has been based around music and musical instruments. The house features an extraordinary room that has been designed to showcase two feature pianos, with superb acoustic qualities for playing and appreciating music.

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usic symbolism is used throughout the design from the piano motifs on all the doors, to the bulkhead design to the entertaining space and the treble clef design in the wrought iron balustrading.

The standard of finish throughout is of the highest order. A custom-etched glass feature is incorporated into the entry windows and the design of the bulkhead/pelmet in the entertainment room showcases the craftsmanship required to achieve this curved feature. The two-storey house also features a lift to futureproof it for its residents.

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Part of the challenge of this project was to preserve the existing trees within close proximity to the building in order to create a home set among established trees. This connection to nature utilises large windows to take full advantage to the outlook to enhance the charm of the building.

The design and orientation maximizes the passive thermal properties of the site with louver windows allowing the client to take full advantage of the sea breezes to cool the house.

The sophisticated architectural flair of this building has created more than just a well-built residence, but rather a treasured home.

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Q Group WA Pty Ltd was the head building contractor and it was Builder/Director Glenn Smith's responsibility to ensure that all aspects of the home were executed to the satisfaction of both the architect/project manager and the clients.

The project was one that required close collaboration between several stakeholders which included the acclaimed architect Peter Doggett and interior designer Kim Doggett together with a host of specialist subcontractors and, most importantly, the clients.

The project had a purpose and distinct style and this had its challenges in bringing it to life.

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All involved collectively agreed that it was a success on many levels and this was underpinned by the satisfaction of the clients.

The clients, who were very easy to work with, had a particular liking for the colour green and wanted this incorporated into a stone top for the kitchen. This was very difficult to source but a very unusual natural green stone was eventually found.

The air conditioning system is very large as the client wanted it to be able to cope with every day of Perth's extreme summer days.

The house is constructed of double brick, rendered with commercial grade aluminium windows and is topped by a Colorbond roof.

Inside, carpet is featured through the majority of the house and there is timber flooring to the entry and kitchen.

Terrastone by Limecrete completed all decorative concrete works from the front driveway and crossover down the side paths and verandahs. The exposed aggregate finish was in Limecrete’s Amber White Fine Blend mix.

With the better part of 25 years experience in the building industry in Perth, Builder/Director Glenn Smith's has been involved in Q Group WA since its inception. The Group has been able to clearly define its offering to the Perth market, with services dedicated to new homes,

renovations, developments and building maintenance all being separate divisions. The team behind the name has been together for more than 10 years and the flexibility and professional approach to all facets of the services offered by Q Group WA has been well recognised.

Q Group WA is currently working with clients on another exciting and bespoke design in Coolbinia with which they have been involved from the first issue of design concepts. Their initial role to review for budgeting and construction detailing has allowed the clients to maintain control of their project, thereby avoiding unnecessary surprises.

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ENTERTAINING PROJECT WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Contact: Phone: 9444 4094 www.qgroupwa.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU PUTTING THE ‘M’ INTO FAMILY

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SHOWCASING M / CONSTRUCTION MARCH 2020

PUTTING THE ‘M’ INTO FAMILY WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

PHOTOS GREG HOCKING

M/Construction delivers a luxury residence built for living in The owners of this magnificent home were aware of the craftsmanship and care that M/Construction had applied on previous luxury homes it had built, and so was confident that the builder could provide a high quality solution to meet their specific needs.

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part from M/Construction's established track record in successfully delivering similar sized luxury homes, the client was also attracted to M/Construction's practice of maintaining a close working relationship with its clients via constant consultation and transparency. This was something that the client greatly valued.

The project constituted a custom build home wherein M/Construction provided a turnkey solution where M/Construction drove the design, and project managed and constructed the new home. The client had very clear and concise ideas on the design, layout and finishes which were influenced by their overseas experiences as well as inspiration from high-end home magazines.

From a layout perspective, the client had some very express specific requirements insofar as accommodating their family (which consisted of

the two parents, two young children and a live-in grandparent). They wanted 'common areas' where they could all come together as a family whilst still having their own separate living zones within the home. The home's focus is therefore primarily on being an extended family home, so facilities such as large pool, swing set, sand pit and vegetable garden are all visible and usable elements. They are there as hubs for entire family interaction rather than be tucked away hidden from view. This reinforces the importance that this client places on family values ... which M/Construction has responded to perfectly.

The next (but equally as important) aspect of the home's design is that element of privacy and separation for the three 'groups' who will occupy the home – the parents, the children and the grandparent. The parents' retreat is 'selfsufficient' with its own library, kitchenette,

substantial ensuite and robes, whilst the childrens' zone has large bedrooms and each child has their own bathroom. The grandparent also has her own private zone separate to the rest of the family, so everyone is catered for.

This is very much a luxury home that has been designed to be 'lived in', not to be a showcase.

It would have been easy for this set of individual group requirements to result in a highly segmented home, however due to well considered architectural and interior space planning, this is not the case. One example of this planning at work is the extensive floor to ceiling glazing spanning two floors (over 6.5m high). This creates a seamless connection between the various zones, as do the stacked sliding doors which are 3m high.

In order to accommodate all of the client's requirements, the resulting home is two storey,

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with a void connecting the two levels for continuity. The concrete slab on the upper level required significant engineering to create the large void between the two floors, and whilst concrete columns have been used to suspend the upper level, the columns are unobtrusive and inconspicuous giving a sense of a floating upper floor. A striking feature of the home is the floating staircase between the floors. It is a prominent design piece which is immediately visible upon entering the home, however the owners did not want it to dominate the entrance. Therefore considerable engineering was undertaken to build a structure that was contained fully within the wall cavity. The stairs do not have a stringer or any midway support,

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with the finished result being that the steps appear to be floating against the wall with no obvious supporting structure visible.

Nestled between an internal courtyard and the backyard and is the focal point of the home, the contemporary kitchen with its marble, stone over the island, integrated Miele appliances, and large island bench with breakfast bar. It also features a concealed scullery (which is also extensively fitted out) with the scullery doors manufactured from the matching material of the kitchen cabinetry finish so as to blend in and conceal the fact that there is a scullery at all when not in use. The kitchen is grand yet functional for the daily routine and use of a family of five. It is the

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central hub for the home where the family can gather, but is also designed for entertaining.

The home also has extensive designer automated lighting throughout. A key feature is the lighting in the theatre room with the entire ceiling depicting the night sky. This was a custom made LED fixture designed and manufactured in sections on the east coast, with the assembly being conducted on site and supervised by the M/Construction team.

Other features of the home include a stunning 6m high bookmatched stone fire place which is complemented by the extensive use of natural stone flooring to the ground floor areas, floor to ceiling glazing, timber flooring to the upstairs living areas,

PUTTING THE ‘M’ INTO FAMILY WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

high end kitchen and bathroom fixtures and fittings, and a 6-star green star rating.

Whilst there are many stunning features contained within this home, the uniqueness of this project is that the owners entrusted M/Construction to completely manage the entire project for them, including interpreting their needs, translating them into functional elements for their new family home, and undertaking the construction of the home itself.

M/Construction is a progressive and technology-equipped construction and facilities maintenance company that approaches every project with the same innovation and attention to detail as its reputed parent company, M/Group. The company has

delivered a number of bespoke homes and is assigned to Match apartment development projects. It has built its credentials on delivering construction solutions that draw on the latest technology and techniques to achieve the most efficient and cost effective outcomes for its clients. Michael Read (Director of M/Construction) is responsible for the operations of the business. Michael has over 20 years' experience in the construction industry and is supported by a long-term highly experienced team. M/Construction delivers sophisticated craftsmanship and provides a corporate, accountable approach to ensure peace of mind for its clients through every stage of the contract period and beyond.

M/Construction is currently building M/24 by Match (a mixed-use development) and a 50-unit residential apartment development located in Port Coogee. In addition, the company has been awarded a $8M contract to construct a mixeduse development in South Terrace, South Fremantle commencing this year.

Contact: Phone: 08 9321 0262 www.mconstruction.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGE

Stunning Contemporary Contrasts Showcased in Floreat Home The brief for Romano Homes was challenging but clear. The owners were keen to create a contemporary home style while avoiding any focus on “white box” design. They had certainly come to the right company. Romano Homes are known for utilising a fully integrated approach for clients that simplifies the building process and incorporates all aspects of the build – including in-house architectural designs, interior design and landscape design.

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his approach allows them to tailor a home to a client’s specific needs and budget, and on this occasion their design explored and adopted the use of varying materials and architectural detailing to provide for an elevation that is modern but not stark.

According to company director Peter Romano and designer Mick Rule, “Alternative building materials and finishes were explored at an early stage during the design development and it was decided that the façade could be broken up into a number of architectural components, each of which could be treated

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with contrasting materials and colours.”

A two-storey high blade wall which aligns to the entry of the home is rendered in an “off form” concrete finish, and this feature extends into the interior of the home, linking the indoors to the front garden.

The use of western red cedar on the dramatically projecting porch ceiling and the upper floor wall area above the double garage adds a softness of material to the façade – as well as a contrast of texture.

A highly polished reflective finish is additionally used on the façade to further enhance the array of materials, while face

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brickwork on the raised porch anchors the home to its site.

As the clients were also interested in the home having curved features, the design incorporated this into internal voids, both inside and out.

Curved voids and cantilevers, both internally and externally, provide a juxtaposed softness to the home, and this theme was further reinforced in the kitchen island bench, with Corian used for its ability to be bent and curved. The voids allow a visual connection between the ground floor and upper level, while a projecting front balcony was used as a

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further softening device to avoid the box look.

The roof of the home is pitched at a shallow angle and is highlighted by wide floating slanted eaves for summer sun protection together with a sharply angled gutter, giving the roof line a strongly defined edge profile. All rainwater pipes were cleverly designed to be concealed within the structure, to ensure that the façade remained clean and contemporary.

The house sits on a very wide frontage and overlooks parkland so it was important to take full advantage of the view. To that end, it was decided that all of the bedrooms should have an outlook to the street.

A centrally located sitting room and curved void sits between the children’s wing and the master bedroom, and provides for a zoned separation. The elevation is long and has been broken up into three separate sections with differing architectural treatments. A portion of the elevation cantilevers over the garage and has been clad in western red cedar to provide both a softness and a colour contrast.

The main entry consists of a double height void and its approach is via a cantilevered entry statement and a concrete spine wall. A curved cantilevered balcony in white render provides protection to a decked area on the

lower level and contributes a soft shadow to the otherwise rectilinear elevation. The incorporation, on the front face of the home, of western red cedar lining and timber posts, the concrete spine wall, face brickwork, polished plaster and render to specific architectural features ensures that there is plenty of visual stimulation.

Passive solar design principles were also an important part of the design brief, and this resulted in an L-shaped home with the main living areas and kitchen all having large northfacing windows and sliding doors.

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGE

Fully Integrated New Home Design and Construction Romano Homes are a boutique company who promise to deliver “exquisitely designed and finely built luxury residences” and to achieve this promise on all building budgets.

They incorporate all aspects of overall builds for clients, including interior and landscape design and construction – on time and to budget. The advantage of this to a home owner, note Peter Romano and Mick Rule, “is the close liaison involved between the designer and builder at the earliest stages of a design.

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This ensures that budgets can be adhered to from the beginning of the relationship.”

Peter Romano has been involved with the building industry in Western Australia for the last 20 years. He has a hands-on approach and is involved from the initial design stages through to the construction process. He offers an attentive eye for detail and a desire to build only high-quality homes with an emphasis on quality and not quantity.

Mick Rule designs all of the homes within the company. He graduated from Curtin University with an honours degree in

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architecture in 1991 and has devoted his career to working alongside builders in the residential sector. He is responsible for all Romano Homes’ designs and also undertakes the interior design, landscape design and client liaison within the business. Many of his designs have received housing industry awards over the years.

Romano Homes work with beautiful finishes and luxurious materials, including both natural and engineered products, and are “devoted to the research of innovative building techniques”.

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Contact: Phone: 9284 9666 www.romanohomes.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU ATTADALE CONTEMPORARY RIVERFRONT HOME

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SHOWCASING MOSMAN BAY CONSTRUCTION MARCH 2020

ATTADALE CONTEMPORARY RIVERFRONT HOME WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Photos Stephen Nicholls

Spacious, cutting-edge and privileged family living in Attadale

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Attadale played a key role in Western Australia's contemporary residential development from the 1950s to 1970s. The picturesque riverfront suburb provided new homeowners with plenty of open spaces to enjoy their surroundings, a concept that has been given a strong sense of continuity in this Cawston Road residence designed by Mountford Architects and built by Mosman Bay Construction.

ituated on a generous suburban block extending over 1,105 square metres, the property has been designed to respond contextually to both the landscape and the local built form. Recognition of these aspects, together with the area's historical significance, underpins the project's relationship to the site in its immediate and subsidiary context. Furthermore, creating a strong connection between the interior areas of the home and the outdoors enhances the overall living experience.

Commissioned by the owner as a home for a family of four, the spaces are generous but not overly lavish. The design provides a dynamic sense of spatial generosity, individual privacy and family interaction. Employing the concept of “shelter around activity”, a downstairs media and reading room and a second, modest living

area at the top of the stairs retain a visual connection with the communal spaces.

The family can open the living-dining-kitchen pavilion to the front terrace and back garden to allow the breezes to flow, or adjourn to one of the sheltered spaces with a book or video game while still remaining connected to each other and the general household activity… plus the verdant surrounding gardens.

Accentuated by the intersecting geometries within the design, this crucial notion of interaction has been devised as an “exchange of family activities embedded in form, surface and material that subtly bypass spatial thresholds”. Additionally informing these decisions is “a combination of functional programme, material authenticity, robust tactility and experiential delight”.

The striking geometry of the Cawston Road residence – distributed over 430 square metres

of floor area – also provides a foil for the leafy remnants and mature trees in the original and neighbouring gardens. The distinctive twostorey cube features a counterpoint in the strong horizontal lines of the living-diningkitchen pavilion on its northern side. The linear sweeps of white render and the use of cedar for window frames break up and dilute the severity of the dark brick.

The residence's layout further reinforces themes of context, programme and use with a ground level that carefully integrates public/private function, accommodating an open-plan kitchen, dining and living space, two additional bedrooms, media room, laundry and garage.

The upper level comprises three additional bedrooms including a master, en-suite, second bathroom and rumpus area encased in a masonry form, with carefully placed

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fenestrations enabling existing vegetation and views to be part of the overall experience. This vegetation is a focal point of the ground level, where open-plan spaces are carefully flanked by deck and al fresco zones on either side, bringing a carefully composed landscape into the public living areas by virtue of outdoor rooms.

The architects and builders worked closely with Realm Landscape Architects to ensure that the existing landscape elements were considered an asset and were enhanced by undulating surfaces. Landscape elements are composed of robust materials and planting that reflect Western Australia's environmental conditions and complement the architectural intent. The home's openness allows it to take full advantage of prevailing

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winds rather than creating a dependence on airconditioning. Thermal mass provides a counterbalance to the openness, retaining and dispersing heat loads during the cooler months.

Materially, this mass also adds to the dynamic form through the intersection of transparent and masonry volumes. Utilising passive sustainable design principles consolidates the foundations for layout, orientation and architectural language.

Cost and sustainable outcomes were also considered in the context of a robust selection of materials. Hardwearing surfaces are juxtaposed with renewable timbers to create a sense of warmth and tactility. Material and volumetric junctures are enhanced with an integrated lighting concept that pays homage to key elements and

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surfaces, while continuing to maximise the essential theme of merging inside and out.

Layout, material selections and volume respond directly to the client's brief, and help future-proof the house so the family can evolve and grow over the years. To that end, flexibility of use is carefully integrated into the arrangement of these elements.

The environment also plays an absolutely vital role. Passive sustainable design features underpin the Cawston Road residence through spatial arrangements, materials and orientation. An intuitive relationship to sustainability is thoroughly integrated into the day-to-day experience for all the family members and guests.

As noted previously, the project comprises a ground level that includes both public and

ATTADALE CONTEMPORARY RIVERFRONT HOME WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

private spaces and an upper level incorporating mostly private areas. This second storey is highlighted by meticulously composed openings that embrace light and passive air movement into a solid masonry form, thus retaining privacy and minimising solar gains during the day. Downstairs, “the language of solid and negative is inverted� to open the home's main communal areas to prevailing winds, counterbalanced by strategic thermal massing which minimises artificial heating and cooling throughout the year.

In conclusion ... At the heart of all these design decisions is the role architecture plays in embodying the aspirations of a client by combining thoughtful integration with overall context and an authentic sustainable response.

Contacts: Phone: 9336 5001 www.mosmanbayconstruction.com.au Phone: 9227 8664 www.marchitects.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU PANORAMA ACROSS FLINDERS BAY

Making the most of the spectacular view in Augusta Residential building sites can vary from visually ordinary to spectacularly scenic. While architects may strive to make the most of a site's visual assets, sometimes there is simply not a great deal to work with. In a recent project in Augusta, however, Busselton-based architects D'Agostino + Luff were presented with a site with an outstanding panorama across Flinders Bay, ensuring that one of the prime design objectives would be to take advantage of the vast ocean views.

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oupled with this was an instruction from the client to ensure that the home provided maximum privacy from the street.

Designed to age gracefully The owners of the property also requested that the home should be robust in appearance with a design that would age gracefully over time.

Local company, Chadwick Builders of Margaret River, were chosen to bring this concept to light.

Chadwick Builders has over 30 years of experience throughout Western Australia, with

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extensive expertise in the construction of private homes and townhouses, luxury residences, and turnkey commercial developments.

Following their brief, D'Agostino + Luff Architects designed the home to provide maximum privacy from the street, making a particular feature of the vast ocean views across Flinders Bay. The home is low-maintenance and makes use of materials that fit in with the property's surrounds. A combination of face brick, spotted-gum external timber lining, and copper feature elements and facings were used. The home's design includes a simplistic single-storey

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elevation to the street, which hides the striking two-storey faรงade that incorporates a large cantilevered balcony.

Timber parapets create visual impact The combination of timber-lined parapet walls of varying heights created a number of visual elements, with the spotted-gum wall cladding ageing over time to a silver ash colour and the copper to slight patina.

Copper blades were used near the entry area to provide a striking, contrasting feature to the timber and the necessary support for the cantilevered entry cover.

PANORAMA ACROSS FLINDERS BAY WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

The lower level of the home includes three bedrooms and a living space, while the upper floor contains the main bedroom, study and open-plan living area. D'Agostino + Luff Architects designed the home to ensure each habitable room features views of the bay.

Sheltered courtyard The home also boasts a sheltered courtyard on the northern side of the block, which offers an external retreat that will remain calm during strong winds.

D'Agostino + Luff Architects provided full architectural service including the design,

construction documentation and the administration of the building contract.

The company was founded in 1996 by Joseph D'Agostino and Stuart Luff, who joined forces after studying together at university. They specialise in residential architecture, but also design for the commercial sector. They complete three to four homes each year.

Twenty years in the South West With a distinct South West feel, homes designed by D'Agostino + Luff Architects are the result of more than 20 years of experience in the south west of the state. Joseph and

Stuart work collaboratively on all their projects to ensure the best outcome and a positive architectural experience for their clients.

Chadwick Builders have a comprehensive portfolio of stylish and contemporary projects.

They believe that ongoing and regular communication is essential to providing a smooth building process, and employing the best local trades and suppliers to produce building excellence.

Providing a balance of costs and benefits on an individual basis making practical savings with value and quality is at the forefront of their commitment.

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Chadwick Builders are members of the Housing Industry Association as well as the Master Builders Association, are Green Smart Professional Accredited and are proud to support the Australian Apprentice Scheme.

Some of their clients include Heath Developments – Oyster Harbour Project; Westpac Banking Corporation – The Westpac Centre; Western Australian State Government Department of Housing; Stocker Preston Real Estate and numerous private residential clients.

Contact: Phone: 08 9757 1886 Email: m.chadwick@westnet.com.au Phone: 9752 3146 www.southwestarchitects.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU BUTTERFLY HOUSE

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SHOWCASING DAGOSTINO DEVELOPMENTS MARCH 2020

BUTTERFLY HOUSE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

The Butterfly House...

A Unique home design in Leshenault Leschenault is a semi-rural outer suburb of Bunbury, named in honour of a French botanist who was aboard the exploration ship the Jardinière in the early 1800s. It is in this region overlooking the inlet that a custom-designed energy efficient solar home, nicknamed the 'butterfly house' due to its unique double-winged floor plan, is situated.

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his eight-star energy rated home is the result of a collaboration between Bunbury builders Dagostino Developments, and West Perth company Arcologic Design. It has been designed and constructed to capture the best of all worlds – great views, excellent climate response, sustainability, plenty of comfort, and a modern aesthetic.

The design and construction teams Dagostino Developments has been building homes in the Bunbury region of Western Australia for more than 20 years. Dagostino Developments manager Tony Dagostino, a carpenter by trade, has 30 years of experience in the construction industry. The company is

committed to providing excellence and attention-to-detail in all its services, and assisting clients to achieve their dream home.

Arcologic Design is an award-winning design company that is passionate about and committed to innovation and sustainable design in WA, and translating clients' ideas into practical and inspiring reality.

The site and project brief The elevated 7,900sqm site overlooks the Leschenault Inlet to the west and has a wooded area to the east. The building site itself is situated almost in the middle of the property, which provides great views and also minimised the need for vegetation removal.

The clients wanted a four-bedroom

sustainable and climate-sensitive family home that provided views of the inlet to the west, protection from strong winds and the hot afternoon sun, and the ability to capture the winter sun from the north. This rather complex set of requirements led to the unique 'butterfly' design solution which enabled all facets of the brief to be fulfilled.

The home has two double wings or pavilions that are situated next to each other in a butterfly configuration and are connected by an entry courtyard area. As well as meeting the desire for views and a northern aspect, the unique design also provides excellent crossventilation. The home is constructed from simple materials, including rendered brick, masonry, corrugated iron and low-e glazing.

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Home features Features of the home include renewable cork flooring in the bedrooms, louvre windows, a solar PV roof system, a rainwater collection tank, a shaded courtyard and alfresco area, and wall and ceiling insulation.

The home also has polished concrete floors in the living areas. Polished concrete not only looks attractive, but also provides good thermal mass.

In addition, it saves on the time, energy and materials required to apply a more standard type of floor covering, making it a very good 'green' flooring solution. It is also

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hard-wearing and long-lasting, and requires less maintenance than many other types of flooring.

The finished result is a home that has both passive and active solar features and which sits comfortably in its environment.

Arcologic principal designer John Damant states: “A skillion roof to the two pavilions gives a modern aesthetic while the exposed timber, Colorbond cladding and Boral Classique feature walls remind of a country setting. Internally, a raked ceiling-line gives a sense of volume and floods the home with northern sunlight.”

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Project challenges A major challenge of this project was that of meeting all the clients' requirements and desires, which was achieved through the unique design and aspect of the building, the use of simple building materials and substantial glazing, and the inclusion of sustainable-living features such as solar PV panels, and the rainwater tank.

The land itself also had a five-metre fall over its length. According to Mr Damant, this was resolved by “a cut-and-fill solution to maintain a viewing platform for the house, maximising the inlet outlook.”

BUTTERFLY HOUSE WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Mr Dagostino considers that a major challenge in construction was that of producing and later protecting the polished concrete floor. The timing and management of the production process was crucial to prevent the slab from drying out and cracks occurring in the final result. This task was carefully and expertly managed by the building team, and according to Mr Dagostino he and the clients are very happy with the result.

Achievements Mr Dagostino states that he is particularly pleased with the success of the polished

concrete floor and considers this to be a major achievement for the construction team. He is also very happy with the custom-home design and the uniqueness of the overall building.

For Mr Damant, the unique design and the high energy rating of the home are major achievements of this project, especially as so much careful thought, planning and climatesensitive principles went into all the design and construction stages in order to fulfil the brief.

The fact that all of the clients' requirements have been met in the one building is a credit to both the design and construction teams for the butterfly house. The project shows that green

design and construction can be not only practical, but also aesthetically-pleasing and inspiring.

It also shows how clever solutions can be found for building projects, even when there are complex requirements involved.

Contact: Phone: 9726 2756 www.dagostinodevelopments.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU INTELLIGENT HOME

This spectacular home built by Spadaccini Homes even recognises its owners...

Imagine a home that has an undercroft vehicle storage area that looks more like a new car showroom, complete with marble floor and a revolving turntable so as to never have to reverse a vehicle out of the garage. Now also imagine a home that actually recognizes you as its owner, and welcomes you inside by opening the slab marble front door thanks to sophisticated facial recognition software. Imagine also a home that has intelligent feature lighting that creates a water park environment with numerous fountains at the front and rear of the property.

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INTELLIGENT HOME WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU

Photos nickthake.com

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ounds just like a Hollywood set on an Ironman movie, but a home with all these features and more actually exists in Perth…..or to be more specific, in Hillary's.

Built by Spadaccini Homes, this impressive residence must surely represent the pinnacle of new luxury home design and construction in Western Australia. With a footprint of some 750 square metres, and over three levels (basement, ground and first floors) this vast home is over 2,000 square metres in size! The difference in levels from the undercroft floor to the upper level ceiling is circa nine metres. In terms of a commercial equivalent, it has a

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similar size (and appearance) to a small office development. And drawing somewhat on a commercial office, the home's exterior is clad in white and pale grey aluminium panels, with clear glass balustrading and copper canopies above, which all combine to express the angular, contemporary elevations of the home, and provide it with a weather resistant skin to protect it from the marine environment given its location opposite the Indian Ocean.

Contrasting these 'commercial' finishes are rendered walls, white marble blade walls and charcoal floor tiles – more recognisable signatures on a large luxury homes. Feature iron

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gates and significant planting and water features complete the exterior and soften the front elevation, lending the home more of a luxury boutique hotel feel.

The word undercroft normally refers to an area underneath a home that consists of a large garage, and sometimes a cellar and store room.

In the case of this home, it does contain all that….and more! The main store room itself is around 25 square metres big. There is a smaller store room next to a cellar (which are both opposite to a large stairwell leading up to the ground floor), along with a lift and machine store. Two other store rooms take their place in

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this undercroft, but the star of the show is the large vehicle parking area‌.complete with its revolving turntable. The entire floor (and turntable) are large format marble tiles, and even the ceiling has been given the 'superhero' garage touch with dropped plasterboard ceilings and linear recessed fluorescent lighting, not to mention marble columns. These must surely be the best garaged cars in Perth!

The ground floor comprises an entry/lobby/stairwell again worthy of any boutique hotel, especially as it comes with illuminated marble treads, and a large pond and water fountain as a backdrop visible through

the glass behind. To the right are three bedrooms all with their own ensuites, and to the left are the guest bedroom/ensuite, gym/steam room /tea prep area, laundry, and a large sitting/games room with bar at one end.

Even rooms such as the humble laundry are given the luxury treatment with ample stone bench and cupboard space (both underneath the bench and overhead). Cupboard doors are touch open and in either gloss finish (underbench) or timber (overhead). These would look equally as good in any kitchen. If this is the laundry, then imagine the home's actual kitchen! Equally, the ensuites in the three

'minor' bedrooms include full height tiling with feature walls fully clad in marble, along with marble vanity tops with inbuilt recessed basins, and feature mirrors with tapware protruding from them.

The upper floor is not to be rivalled by its lower counterpart in any way. Having climbed the sumptuous stairs, one finds the study and master bedroom/ensuite/dressing room to their left. The master bedroom has full height upholstered fabric paneling to the wall behind the bedhead. Its ensuite is visible, though enclosed behind full height glass, so that it appears connected to the master bedroom.

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Entry into this ensuite is via full a height glass door, again enhancing the feeling of space and continuity between the rooms. Immediately adjacent to the fixed glass panel at the master bedroom end of the ensuite is a free standing bathtub on a raised marble platform. A sculptured stone bench again incorporates the basin and drainage, and mirrors over a recessed toiletries shelf again try to distract occupants into thinking that this is not a home, but a hotel.

On the opposite side of the home on this level are more large communal rooms – the kitchen/pantry/cool room, a powder room, the dining area, a semi-enclosed sitting area, and a family room. Just outside and adjacent to the family room is a large (40 square metre) entertaining room which is enclosed by operable

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glass panels which provide comfort during windier weather but still allow full views across West Coast Drive to the Hillary's Marina. The entertainment area also leads to a plunge pool.

Temptation could have led to adding plenty of ceiling details and embellishments, however smart restraint has resulted in a few simple ceiling level changes via bulkheads. This allows for maximum ceiling heights which a home of such huge proportions needs. Similarly, the floor finishes could have been different in every area but cleverly (and practically) most of the home's floor is tiled, again resulting in continuity, spaciousness and minimal maintenance being required. In fact, the only rooms with carpet are the bedrooms, games and sitting rooms, gym, study and dressing

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room. What results is a home that is luxurious without being extravagant. It is impressive but not overstated. This is why the company has built many luxury homes across Perth in suburbs which include Applecross, City Beach, Dianella, Floreat, Mt Claremont and Peppermint Grove.

Spadaccini Homes Managing Director, Rob Spadaccini, started his company 19 years ago at the age of 24. Spadaccini Homes has built its own reputation on Rob's skills, innovation, attention to details and overall consistency in quality. Rob has recently been elected as the 55th president of the Master Builders Association in WA, and is also a director of New Choice Homes and Elevation Homes. Spadaccini Homes is a multi-MBA award winner over the last 10 years.

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Contact: Phone: 08 9445 8888 www.spadaccini homes.com.au

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SHOWCASING GRANGE RESIDENTIAL + CONSTRUCTION MARCH 2020

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Low-Maintenance Spaciousness for Bespoke North Beach Home Sometimes, having plenty of space in a home is not so much a matter of size as good design. This is certainly the case with one of Grange Residential and Construction's most recent projects at North Beach.

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his home was built for a couple who decided to downsize once their family had flown the coop, but who now feel their new home is more spacious than their previous one, even though it is less than half the size.

Background on the builders and designers Grange Residential and Construction is a construction service and supply company located in Balcatta. Grange is involved in a number of high-end quality modern residential constructions in and around Perth.

The architectural design for the North Beach home was handled by Banham Architects – an award-winning Perth-based company committed to working closely with clients to deliver their desired outcomes and ensure their satisfaction. Banham's services

include concept designs, documentation, tendering, and contract preparation and administration.

The interior was designed by Turner Interior Design based in North Fremantle – a company that focuses on innovative design and provides a full range of services including design, drafting, documentation, finishes and fittings.

Clients' aims for the project The clients had a number of aims in this project: ■ To create a bespoke home with a feeling of space and airiness, and a minimalist almost 'floating' look. Or as described by Brendan Green of Grange, a place with sharp lines and “not too flashy” in appearance.

■ A low-maintenance home that doesn't take too much time away from hobbies, the beach and the golf course for upkeep!

■ A place with enough space to enable them to spend time at home with their 14 grandchildren, and also allow them to entertain up to 30 people at a time.

The home The approximately 450m2 modern luxury home is built in double brick, with a metal slimline 1-degree roof. It utilises a Deltacore precast panel system for the nine-metre suspended slab. The layout includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a north-facing alfresco space with ocean views, open-plan kitchen and dining, a family room, scullery, wine cellar and an outdoor kitchen in the decking area. The interior also boasts a sandstone floor and handcut stone feature tiling.

Design features include clean horizontal lines in keeping with the beach location, and

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expansive use of glass, which creates a light and bright internal environment while providing great sea views.

Project challenges Grange's managing director Brendan Green considers the biggest challenge in this project was that of producing the slimline look of the building, in particular the minimal roof, which appears to only lightly touch the top of the house. Mr Green said it “took a lot of structural work behind the scenes” to achieve the light and minimalist appearance the clients desired. In other words it can be said that it took a lot of work to create an appearance of minimal work!

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Another challenge was that of the feature tiling, as almost every piece needed to be individually hand-cut. This required sitting down together with the tiler and owners to discuss the desired outcome, and arrange how the work should be done.

These challenges were managed well, with the clients' goals being met.

Achievements There are many achievements in this project.

Mr Green said that both the clients and the architects are extremely happy with the finished result, with the owners stating that it is just what they were looking for, and that they now feel like they are “on holiday” in their new home.

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Some specific achievements include: ■ Achieving the light, minimal look desired by the owners.

■ Creating a home that is spacious, and in keeping with the owners' desired lifestyle.

■ Achieving the low-maintenance aspect of the home, enabling the couple to have time to enjoy their lifestyle and community and family involvement.

■ Providing great views of the ocean.

This is the type of project that showcases the importance of designers and builders really getting to know their clients so that they can grasp and understand what it is they want in the finished product. In a bespoke,

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architecturally designed and innovative project such as this, the importance of good communication and working closely with clients cannot be overstated. In this case, it certainly seems that the teams involved have pulled out all stops to fully understand the clients' needs and provide them with complete satisfaction.

On a technical and aesthetic level, the home has been expertly designed, crafted and constructed to ensure that the owners obtained exactly what they specified in their brief. This was a very successful project in every aspect, and the home should provide the owners with a comfortable and enjoyable lifestyle in their retirement years.

Contact: Phone: (08) 6141 3292 www.grangeperth.com.au

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Elegant Family Home in City Beach The family who commissioned this home in one of Perth's most coveted beachside residential areas had a clear long-term vision of how they wanted their new residence to be created and developed.

It was important for it to be a “forever” home – both functional and luxurious in every sense.

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o realise their dream they turned to Zazen Building & Design, and the result is a stunning property that exudes class and elegance. On entering the custom cedar pivot entry door, past a timber staircase and continuing into a well-appointed kitchen, living and dining area, it is immediately evident that meticulous care has been taken with the home's design and construction to produce a timeless classic.

Mataka stone cladding has been tastefully utilised externally and internally, together with custom splayed gutters, composite turret cladding, Italian porcelain tiles in the wet areas and engineered stone.

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The property originally contained a 1960s style bungalow dwelling that included a sunken basketball court in the front yard. After demolition, the court was filled to increase the respective site levels up to street level.

According to Zazen, “The natural undulated contour of the site provided an opportunity to enhance the visual appeal of the design, with the inclusion of steps leading out to the side and rear of the home. Additionally, the property was awaiting deep sewerage to be commissioned, so provisions had to be made to install a leach drain system to service the property in the interim.”

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The owners were keen to take advantage of the 1,200 square metre plot size by maintaining a deep frontage and creating a picturesque entry to the home that provided a sense of grandeur, with a combination of brick screen wall, automatic gates, exposed aggregate concrete and soft, delicate landscaping.

The home comprises five bedrooms, extensive WIR, two en suites, a bathroom, two powder rooms, a theatre, an activity area, a double garage with workshop, an al fresco pool and a balcony. Extending over a total area 484 square metres, the home caters ideally for the owners' growing family.

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Two key elements of their initial demands when commissioning the project were a commitment to quality and an efficient construction process – and Zazen not only delivered in this respect but exceeded expectations.

The entrance area showcases an expansive foyer with custom chandelier and feature highlight window, and a continuation of timber flooring leading up the staircase, dressed with a frameless glass balustrade.

Some of the striking features of the front elevation include: Mataka stone cladding (Tundra/Aspen mix), custom cedar entry pivot

door, custom splayed profile zincalume gutters, Ultimate series aluminium composite garage door, Rightwood Selekta composite cladding, shingle profile roof tiles and custom profile concrete mouldings.

Materials such as composite claddings, zincalume and Dulux Acratex were carefully specified due to the proximity to the coast and to reduce the requirement for maintenance in the future. Additional areas around the external structure of the home where attention to detail is also clearly apparent include soffit linings with contrast expressed joints, cedar lining to external ceilings, and travertine pavers to the al fresco area.

Inside the home, stone cladding wads were installed around the living area Escea DL1100 fireplace which, combined with the wide plank timber flooring, create a sense of warmth and character.

Highlighted by Q Stone Calacatta Nuvo Supernatural stone bench tops and Polytec Thermolaminated Ultra White gloss cabinetry, the kitchen displays clean, crisp lines to showcase its role as a focal area of the home, while Miele appliances complete the fit-out.

Other special features of the home include: custom trough lighting to the theatre recessed ceiling; smart wiring throughout; and solar

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panels and energy-efficient window glazing.

With expansive glass present throughout the home, energy efficiency was a key element to achieve an adequate energy rating, while maintaining a cost-effective and partially selfsufficient lifestyle.

Premier Custom-Home Builders Dino Colica and John Simunovich – business partners of Zazen Building & Design, one of Perth's leading boutique home builders – have a simple motto: “If we can't personally build it, we won't take on the project.”

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Together, they have over 38 years of combined construction industry experience and during this time they have established a reputation for quality, personalised service and attention to detail, “without the delays that are usually associated with achieving these attributes”.

They are committed to forging excellent long-standing relationships with clients, designers, architects and associated professionals, together focusing on the common goal: “a satisfied client whose desires become a reality”. Dino and John are also backed by a team of leading industry artisans.

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“Our sub-contractors are treated more like family and it's because of this respect and relationship that they spend a little more time on their work to produce that ZBD touch.

“If our service and attention to clients' needs defines our boutique style, then it's obsessive commitment to craftsmanship that is the enduring hallmark of our homes. The thinking behind this is quite simple: we build every home as if it were our own. No shortcuts, no excuses, no compromises. It's the difference between a company that's driven to be the biggest, and one that's

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driven to build a legacy that lasts as long as the home it crafts.”

Dino and John say they apply the Zazen principle of “Balance, Lifestyle and Building” into every home they build, and “truly love building people's dreams”.

In 2016, Zazen Building & Design were named “best new builder” at the Housing Excellence Awards; and they also won a prize at the Master Builders Bankwest Housing Excellence Awards for “best contract home” in the $280,000 to $350,000 price category. Dino attributes Zazen's success to the fact that he and John deal

exclusively with clients from the start of a project to its conclusion – and even beyond. “If I was in the market to build a home, this would be a very important factor for me, personally.

Our design and construction service is complete, flexible and thorough. When engaging our services, a client will have peace of mind knowing that we'll handle every aspect pertinent to the building process.

“A large percentage of our clients are professionals, have children and are time poor.

Our building process provides our clients with a tailored service to meet their lifestyles.”

Contact: Phone: 9418 8779 www.zazenbuilding.com.au

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Luxury Leisure Lifestyle in the Heart of Hillarys Living close to Hillarys boat harbour would fulfil many people's ultimate lifestyle aspirations. Add in a famous nature reserve and a leisure boardwalk par excellence, and it all seems like a dream. But it isn't.

Zahra on Angove is a reality, an exceptional 18-apartment complex that includes all these attractions – and some more. It is stunningly situated in the prestigious and highly coveted Harbour Rise Estate, opposite the picturesque Whitfords Nodes “A-class” reserve and across the road from Sorrento Quay.

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he only new apartment complex currently available in Hillarys, it is conveniently positioned on the corner of Angove Avenue and Whitfords Avenue, in an estate filled with other high-quality, modern residences that enjoy the delights of some of the finest beaches in the world.

Opened in 1988 and known worldwide as the gateway to Rottnest Island – and Perth's premier recreational destination (just 25 minutes from the CBD) – Hillarys boat harbour provides a safe dock for boating adventures. It is home to the elite Hillarys Yacht Club, the

Aquarium of Western Australia, the bustling Sorrento Quay retail shopping precinct (with cafes, restaurants and entertainment), meticulously groomed public parklands, exceptional beachfront recreation options and an ocean swimmers cove.

These first-class amenities are within walking distance of Zahra on Angove, which comprises one single-bedroom, singlebathroom apartment; five two-bedroom two-bathroom apartments; and 12 threebedroom, two-bathroom executive suites, including four top-floor penthouses, all with two car bays.

Dedicated to Quality Workmanship Operating since 2003, REN Construction Services underwent a company restructure and amalgamation of related entities in May 2011.

With its strong client/supplier relationships and a passion for building, REN has become a formidable Perth-based company in the construction industry.

It mainly focuses on small to medium-density residential and commercial developments in Western Australia, and is headed by director Rodney Naef, who has provided high-quality workmanship and leadership for inner-city developments for many years.

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He stresses that trust and optimal communication is the foundation for all of REN's relationships. “Honest, passionate and dependable, REN and the team build longstanding, valued relationships, so everyone can be certain of a great result. REN fosters successful and strong relationships with contractors across the building and construction industry. Our projects are complimented by experienced and professional site managers and foreman,

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site administration services and labourers.”

As part of its “absolute commitment” to clients' objectives, REN offers quick and effective decision-making, superior build rates and a solid reputation for realistic budgets.

“Strong foundations are imperative,” says Naef. “REN's commitment is to provide highquality construction at a very competitive cost and ensure our client's project vision is fostered from concept to completion.”

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The company's short-term goal is “to deliver current projects in a timely manner and exceed our customers' expectations each and every time”. And for the long term… “to continue providing this service and financial growth to our current clients and expand our presence in both the commercial and residential sector.

Enthusiastically seeking alternative development projects to prove our willingness to partner with a range of professionals and expand our client base.”

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Contact: Phone: 9571 8638 www.rencon.com.au

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WESTCOASTHOMES.COM.AU SUSTAINABILITY & ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Builder's own home an environmental success Element Builders specialise in bespoke custom timber frame designs with a strong focus on sustainability and energy efficiency. The company believes that sustainable, energy efficient homes are the future and work with clients to ensure designs are environmentally conscious, placing a high degree of importance on site orientation, natural light, solar aspect, thermal mass, cross ventilation and protection.

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hey continually research different building products so they can offer alternatives that have a low impact on the environment. It is therefore not surprising that when principal Michael Cicanese recently built a residence for himself and family, those corporate philosophies were very much in evidence in the completed build.

Own home provides unique opportunity In building his own home, Mr Cicanese saw a unique opportunity to demonstrate how a smart

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design, combined with the use of sustainable and energy efficient products, can be utilised to build a comfortable family home. This was achieved through working with architect Sid Thoo.

The brief required the building to have a contemporary modular design and to be contained within 200sqm. Provisions were to be made for future second storey extensions and all rooms were to have views to the entertaining area, with easy access. The design also utilised the full potential of the block and solar orientation was maximised.

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Collaboration between builder and architect Situated in the City of Swan Woodbridge heritage precinct, the project illustrates how a close collaboration between builder and architect can result in improved eco-effective cost and design outcomes.

The residence is built on a battle-axe lot and the design demonstrates how a contemporary aesthetic can still he complimentary to and sensitive to the historical character and context of the neighbourhood such as the Woodbridge heritage precinct.

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The design is based around a series of timberframed living, sleeping and wet area modules that can be flexibly deployed to suit different lot sizes, constraints and orientations. The construction also allows for a future upper storey extensions to be added though the inclusion of additional structural members in the roof and walls.

Eco-effective design considerations The project focuses on simple sustainability and eco-effective design considerations: ■ main living areas oriented towards north;

■ 7.0 star NatHERS rating highly insulated building fabric; ■ waste management practices to minimise building and construction; ■ reclaimed fill use as part of the site and earthworks; ■ light coloured roof to reduce solar absorption; ■ grouped wet areas to minimise plumbing runs for hot water; ■ airtight construction to minimise infiltration gains and losses;

■ high performance windows and glazing throughout; ■ maximising recycling and re-use of materials; ■ north facing windows and wall shaded by concrete portals that exclude harsh summer sun; ■ extensive use of recycled and salvaged timber for external cladding and internal ceiling linings; and, ■ exposed thermal mass in main living areas to help regulate internal temperatures throughout the year.

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One of many notable features in the house is the use of recycled jarrah cladding which has been treated by the Japanese method of 'shousugiban', that is, the charring of timber. In situ concrete walls and projections also add to and enhance the residence's unique appearance.

The maxim of recycling continues throughout the house with the kitchen and other cabinet works being made from Paperock, a recycled paper product.

Much of the material used in the project was recycled from the front house renovation. The old roof frame was machined into external cladding and salvaged timber beams were

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recycled into bench tops. Recycled blackbutt and marri sourced from demolition sites were machined into ceiling lining boards and decking.

Industry accolades While there can be no doubt that the recycling and environmental objectives of the project have been met, if not exceeded, there have also been industry accolades: the home took out the 2017 MBA WA Housing Excellence award for Best Contract Home ($500k - $600k) and has been nominated for the MBA national awards ($500k - $1m) to be held in November.

Having been involved in the building industry for

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more than 30 years, Michael Cicanese is a carpenter by trade, but has also worked as a building project manager/supervisor for some 10 years. He founded Element Builders Pty Ltd in 2005.

Element Builders provide a number of services for owners of both residential and commercial properties including design and construction of timber frame residential homes; project management, coordination and installation of commercial fitouts; renovations, extensions and upgrades; bringing back the beauty and functionality of old, historical architectural pieces; and, maintenance of both residential and commercial properties.

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Contacts: Phone: 0428 473 790 www.sidthoo.com

Phone: 9473 1610 www.elementconstruction.com.au

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Residence designed to fit the future

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While most new homes are designed with younger people with children in mind, few include features that will be useful to the occupants as their lives progress. Planning for the future, indeed the inevitable, is rarely part of the design brief for a family home.

recent residential project in Cottesloe by Prestige Homes, however, has taken into account the current and future needs of the owners, who are an older couple. The house was designed by their son, architect David Mitchell, who has worked in house design around Perth for some years and is now a project manager for a development company in Sydney.

Prestige Homes director Andrew James has known the clients for many years and was thus able to refine the house’s response to their needs. Prestige was engaged as the builder to provide a full turn-key product and, as the detailing was minimal, they worked with the architect during construction to finalise all outstanding details in order to achieve a high end product.

Apartment and lift Design features in the two storey home which will allow a comfortable progression of the years include an upstairs self-contained apartment which could be used by a resident carer should the need arise. The home also has a lift core so that a lift can be installed at a future date if required.

Further enhancing the house’s suitability for future ageing, there are no steps into the house at any entrance. All hallways, door openings and the downstairs ensuite have been designed to cater for wheelchair access and the home has been specifically designed to be low maintenance.

The downstairs section of the home includes a kitchen, pantry, living, dining, laundry, powder room, master bedroom with walk-in-robe and ensuite. The upper level can integrate into the ground floor so that the building can function

as a four bedroom house, or it can potentially be used as a self-contained apartment incorporates three bedrooms, two bathrooms, laundry, kitchen, living and dining.

Art deco influence The architect, interior designer and owners all had a substantial influence on the project in terms of design and construction, with the residence being designed to provide an art deco/beach feel. Venetian render and paving/cobblestones provided something of a European character, while curved walls, both external and internal, also contributed to the overall effect.

Despite a world-wide search, broadline glass as required by the original design could not be found so narrowline glass with low iron and was substituted. The glassed area features detailing on

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the flush sills to the ground floor with electric awning windows downstairs. The upper floor ledge and windows have been waterproofed.

A high level finish of cabinetry works is a highlight of the interior of the house. Other highlights include marble mosaic to the ensuite walls, commercial windows and doors, sisal carpet to the stairs and upstairs, with oak herringbone parquetry timber flooring. A large timber veneer pivot door separates upstairs and downstairs.

High quality an achievement Prestige Homes’ Andrew James said that getting the last two per cent of quality to the level required was one of the greater

achievements in building the residence. “The finer details on this type of project are what everyone sees. Everything was considered on this project to achieve the high level of finish that has been accomplished.

“The architect and the client were an absolute pleasure to work with and everyone involved should be very proud of the end product.”

Founded in October 2010, Prestige Homes’ services include: complete design and planning services; new builds – commercial and residential; renovations – commercial and residential; residential building developments, from design through to delivered product; and, project management services for developers.

Prestige Homes has an experienced network of relationships with architects and design consultants to assist creating their clients’ vision and provides detailed costing and scope to avoid any hidden expenses. The company also provides boutique building services for a hands-on approach and a higher standard of finish throughout the build.

Contact: Phone: 0414 316 049 www.prestigehomeswa.com.au

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Cascading Sophistication in Mosman Park The Swan River played a key role in the design of this stunning townhouse. The site in Mosman Park had an eight-metre fall from Riverside Drive down to the river and, using the natural contours and limestone outcrop, the house – designed in conjunction with Matthew Crawford Architects and built by Lime St Projects – was devised to maximise the views across the river. The main objective, in short, was to create a sophisticated townhouse, featuring a contemporary design with a focus on light and airflow and an exceptional river aspect.

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rom the outset, said Matthew Crawford, “the challenge (and equally the opportunity) offered by the steeply sloping site was to create two distinct residences that made the most of the stunning views across the Swan River.

“Working within the building codes, to the last millimetre, it was possible to create four cascading levels of accommodation, each with fantastic views. This means that the views over the water to the limestone cliffs of Blackwall Reach are available to both levels of both

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houses. Further, to satisfy the strata title conditions, all the living spaces between the front house and the rear house are completely separated vertically.”

The home embraces both the open air and the north-eastern rear aspect, with natural light being a key aspect in the clients’ brief. “Working within the height constraints of the Mosman Park Planning Scheme, the objective was to achieve a spacious design with a unique streetscape;” explained Crawford. “The floor plan is flexible in design, with living on the ground floor, flowing

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out to the north- eastern-facing al fresco areas.

It is suitable for a small family, mature retirees and anything in between. The upper floor houses three very generous bedrooms, all with river views and personal en-suites.”

Expansive Outlooks... and Contemporary Styling The second major challenge for Matthew Crawford Architects – who, noted Lime St Projects director Russell Smail, did a fantastic job – was to ensure privacy between the two

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houses. To that end, devices such as the pebble roof (over the lower house) create a calm outlook from the upper house; while the breezeblock wall and lightwell in the lower house incorporate light and air into the deepest part of the plan.

Each house encompasses three bedrooms on the upper floor, with their own en-suite bathrooms, and the master bedrooms benefit from large, well-appointed dressing rooms.

The lower floor houses living, kitchen and dining areas, studies, laundries, powder rooms

and access to outdoor entertaining spaces.

These lower levels also extend out to a large lawn with landscaped gardens and a pool.

The upper house has the advantage of a large open-aspect terrace located above the garage of the lower house, offering expansive views to the north-east, including the Perth city skyline.

The palette of materials is contemporary: gunmetal grey metallic cladding, texture coat render over brickwork, and commercial grade aluminium joinery with large-format lowemissivity glass windows. The lower house roof

incorporates a double-layer torch on membrane covered in river-washed pebbles. This enables the roof pitch to be safely minimised in order to maximise the views from the upper house.

The same membrane system is used to ensure the long-term watertight qualities of the lower house sitting room, which is located under the garage entry driveway.

A variety of materials were used both internally and externally, including: stonecovered roof, metal cladding, glass, French Oak timber floors and textured plaster. Light,

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bright and white European styling with sophisticated black, grey and stainless steel accenting gave a minimal but warm feeling to the home.

Design + Construction Lime St Projects is a boutique residential design and construction company “focused on creating sophisticated, unique functional spaces”. Headed by directors Damien Fraser and Russel Smail, they specialise in designing and building houses “that reflect the

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personal experiences and needs of our clients, blending texture, colour and space to create a perfect home.

“We are professional, but work without humour is not our style. The process of designing and building your own home should be enjoyable; yes emotional at times but something you should want to do again.

If we achieve this, then we have succeeded.

We pride ourselves on communication and, quite simply, we take our responsibility to you personally.”

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Lime St Projects has been honoured with several HIA awards over the years, including: Finalist 2018 Australian National Townhouse Development of the Year; 2017 Townhouse of the Year; 2017 Townhouse Development of the Year; Finalist 2017 Perth Home of the Year; Finalist 2014 Renovation/Alteration +$1,400,000; Finalist 2013 Custom Built Home $1,600,000 – $2,600,000; and 2013 Australian National Townhouse Development of the Year.

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Contact: Phone: 0448 133 550

www.limestreet.com.au

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