Flexion House is a new two-storey residence located at the end of a cul-de-sac on an expansive site overlooking adjacent parklands and the Cooks River. Its uniquely crafted form bends, extends and shifts in response to the shape of the site, program of rooms, and views to the river and adjacent landscape.

The front ground level accommodates a forked arrangement of guest living and bedroom quarters, bathroom, garaging and utility spaces, with substantial soft landscaped areas to the front setback. At the centre of the house, a voluminous double-height circulation zone performs in confluence with a generously carved void over the dining area for northern light, ventilation, and diverse inward & outward connections. Blackbutt timber battens to walls, screens and internal glazing carefully veil a series of public living spaces and private upper bedroom, study and living areas beyond, with the interior also incorporating an overlay of blackbutt timber boards to flooring, walls and joinery to infuse a singular cohesiveness across ground and upper floor spaces.

A crazy-paved northern terrace with cooking facilities and integral cantilevered concrete bench provides for outdoor dining and visually connects to the parkland and surround of a lap pool, while an eastern semi-covered blackbutt terrace provides outdoor seating for enjoyment of the landscaped gardens and view of the plunge pool wrapping to the rear beyond. A third landscaped terrace over the front garage provides additional outdoor area adjacent to bedrooms for enjoyment of river views and proximate connection to the established tree canopies and birdlife of the adjacent parklands.

Externally, it incorporates white brickwork, blackbutt timber boards of varying width arrangements, black fine steel elements and expansive aluminium framed glazing for strong connections to outdoor spaces and its setting. A layering of dark bronze expanded mesh pivoting screens enable activation and engagement of the rear composition along the riverbank, temper shifting direct light to the rear upper floor, and modulate privacy to balcony & living spaces from an immediate neighbour and riverside walkers & cyclists alike.

The project made its way through Stage 1 design concepts, Stage 2 design development & the development application process inclusive of a hard-fought planning approval, followed by Stage 3 construction certificate documentation & approval, construction detail documentation, progressive costings, and a tendering process to the client’s selected builder – progressing to demolition of the former house and extensive site clearing in readiness for the new build when the client suddenly terminated the project.

Date: 2018
Location: Earlwood, Sydney / Wangal Land

Structural Engineer: Cantilever Engineers
Civil Engineer: ACOR Consultants
Landscape Architect: Melissa Wilson Landscape Architects
Sydney Water Services Co-ordinator: Ausflow
Arborist: Dr Treegood
Surveyor: Junek & Junek
Planner: Damian O’Toole Town Planning
Visualisations: Method Visualisation
Model: Christopher Polly Architect
Model Photography: Christopher Polly Architect