A celebration of warm, welcoming and livable homes is reflected in Klopper & Davis Architects’ portfolio of designs that spans more than a decade.
MT CLAREMONT
A context of tall, established trees was the principal design influence on the architectural forms of this home.
The living areas are perched high against a backdrop of greenery, evoking earthy warmth and an authentic connection to nature.
A gentle sweeping roof establishes a draped canopy to the living spaces, and opens the home up to northern light and southern views.
This architectural solution was engaged to allow the frame of the structure to be articulated in an intelligent fashion, connecting the 'trunks' of the lower columns with the 'branches' of this upper canopy. The loft space then floats above the entry, and leads you to the massive and grounded masonry form.
This brick element houses the private quiet spaces, while the free-form lightweight glazed living spaces are open and liberally penetrated. The interface between these two forms acts as the circulation and entry spaces.
Sweeping views across the Claremont valley can be experienced in the living spaces, along with framed views to the city skyline through trees and a timber screen.
The materials selected were predominantly left raw, reducing both maintenance and on-going material costs, and therefore environmental impost. They include over-baked rich clay bricks, exposed steel framing, dark bluestone floors, vibrant highlight colours, clear-finished jarrah screening and windows, and a crisp white roof canopy.
Masonry materials to the west protect the living spaces in the low late summer
months, and allow the late winter sun to enter the house. These massive masonry walls are well insulated by a large cavity ensuring the radiant heat externally is reflected and the internal wall temperature is maintained.
A bespoke above-ground pool rounds out the home, complementing the bold architectural statements with its clean lines and sculptural form.
WEMBLEY
Once a modest workers' cottage, this house has been converted to a large home for a young family.
The existing house has been retained and renovated to accommodate the bedrooms and wet spaces, while the new addition is differentiated through material uses and spatial form. This permits the original home integrity to be retained, and allows the new addition to respond to its orientation and existing trees and landscaping.
When the clients first approached Klopper & Davis Architects, they arrived with plans that met neither program, brief nor budget, so the first challenge was to develop a fresh solution. The family's functional structure and love of materials and texture has been incorporated into this response. With that said, the project was in many ways an interior design and fit-out, as much as an architectural assignment.
Klopper & Davis partners Matt Davis and Sam Klopper worked closely with senior interior designer Olivia Reeves to achieve the desired outcome. Sophisticated and interrelated bespoke furniture and cabinetwork pieces are married with loose furniture selections throughout, making this project one of the most holistically complete projects the firm has undertaken.
Masonry elements are left unfinished for a raw look and no added maintenance. In reorganising the program, significant importance has been placed on positioning the living spaces to face north. This allows the existing home to shield the living spaces from afternoon sun in summer.
To accommodate the family's preference for cycling over cars, a bike garage was integrated into the house to allow them to park and disrobe in an anteroom. Environmental principles were also a focus, with a high number of cross-ventilation paths encouraged throughout the building.
CONTACT
Klopper & Davis Architects
270 York Street, Subiaco
Phone (08) 9381 4731
Email mail@kada.com.au
Web www.kada.com.au
