Layers of construction

Lake wendouree residence case study

Structural systems below ground

The site, which stretches from one street to another allows for easy access for construction vehicles to enter the site which affected the composition and design decisions relating to the house’s construction. The topography, which was excavated flat by the previous demolition made for boring topographic conditions. To combat this, John Wardle architects invented a site slope and stairs/steps up to the site which also benefits stormwater drainage off-site. The inadequate soil conditions, which were identified through the geotechnical soil testing report, likely from the inconsistent moisture of the soil from the prior home’s trees and slab placement required a layer of engineered fill to cover the site’s ground in order for the building to be made possible. The fill also benefited the slab construction as the waffle pod is most efficiently constructed on top of existing soil rather than excavating land for slab placement. This fill enabled the topographic conditions to be constructed. Footings were required to support the slab due to the poor soil conditions and were dug 200mm into stiff clay to ensure stability. Melbourne being predominantly a heating-required climate meant that hydronic slab heating was made a consideration for occupants’ comfort. The orientation and siting of the home were made in consideration of the site being late facing, which affected the floor plan configuration and window placement.

structural systems above ground

The primary steel structure defines the form of the Wendouree Lake Residence by abling a long cantilevered conservatory space below the bedrooms. This cantilever has a low profile enabled by the use of universal columns. The exposed steel columns in the conservatory, creating using parallel flange channels with a welded steel plate create a rectangular hollow section with sharp right angles which gives the space a sleek aesthetic as opposed to traditional rectangular hollow sections which have rounded corners. The steel columns within the conservatory form the basis of the sheltered outdoor space, providing strength with minimal members which ensures operable louvers and aluminum mullions could be installed. The steel structure is also incorporated into the framing of the island bench that runs the length of the home. Using steel enables the inclusion of the large spanning stone piece that defines the interior space.

The secondary timber structure, used in the floor joists that span the intermediate floor level also enables the structural cantilever’s strength and impacts the overall capability of the architectural form. Timber stud walls create a thin-walled interior and enable the construction of plaster walls which are angled to form the ceiling. The timber battens define the sloped bedroom roofs, creating an extended height and volume to the room and creates the ability to form diffused lighting through the addition of skylights. The plywood sheeting attached to the timber structure supports the standing seam zinc cladding sheets which define the external form, creating a smooth material flow from the horizontal to vertical.

internal (non-load bearing) partitions

The walls, formed using timber stud walls and plasterboard, create the basis of the bedroom spaces on the first floor. By having these dividers, the bedrooms become an individual, private space that is isolated from the more communal areas of the home. Adding the flush panel solid core doors increases the level of privacy and consent required to enter a personal space.
The level changes between the outdoor conservatory and the interior kitchen formed through varying height in the concrete slabs and a set of mediating steps between the two areas distinguish the two areas to be of different functions.
There is however a level of continuity between the two spaces which is facilitated by the long island benchtop that extends along the length of the home. This benchtop creates a flow through the home, having an extension from the kitchen as a cooking area, to the conservatory as an outdoor dining area when weather is optimal. garden and the interior of the home by creating a sheltered retreat that facilitates the occupants’ love for potted plants and gardening. It forms a place both protected from wind, sun, and rain, creating a comfortable space of retreat without being exposed.

environmental protection

The architect’s approach to the design of environmental protection is to form a protective layer around the external walls of the home. This layer is created through the use of weather-resistant material and material coatings like marine-grade plywood, sarking, and galvanized/primed steel members. Around openings and roof/wall penetrations, flashing and sealing protect against draught and rain. Surfaces are primed or painted to provide a layer of sealant to prevent damage from the elements. The elevations both express and hide parts of the environmental protection measures. The folded standing seam zinc cladding sheeting that covers the roof and walls flows down the apex of the roof, along the walls and wraps around the soffit battens creating a flush, streamline appearance. This layer also however hides some aspects of the environmental protection such as the 19mm marine grade plywood substrate onto which sarking is applied prior to the final installation of the zinc cladding. The box gutters are also relatively hidden and the edges between the roof and external walls have no expressed water collection points. Flashing around the bedroom windows is shown but not invasive on the overall facade, blending into the zinc sheeting. The primed frames, sealant, and insulation are all not expressed in the elevation. Within the conservatory, the galvanized steel members are exposed but not expressive of the environmental protection of the structural member as they are painted to match the aluminum mullions. The trench grate that wraps the perimeter of the conservatory is also clearly expressed as a point of water drainage within the outdoor space. Finer details of environmental protection within the space such as the clear satin sealant is sprayed on the sandstone tiles and seals down the aluminum mullions and edges of the glass louvers are not visible. Neither is the bulk insulation which pads the intermediate floor level and the external/internal walls.

mechanical and electrical systems

The mechanical and electrical services are organized efficiently in the bedroom and conservatory area through the use of internal partitionings and ceiling space to wire services. Downlights and the operable louvers are the predominant electrical outlets that require wiring on the ground floor of section 1 and are achieved by wiring through the intermediate floor level. Whereas, on the first floor, internal partitioning and wiring through the ceiling allow electrical services to be installed efficiently to power the skylight in bedroom 4 and the powerpoints in both bedrooms.
The HVAC systems installed within the bedrooms include air conditioning and hydronic heating panels. Both bedrooms are zoned separately, allowing for manual control over each bedroom’s comfort level. To achieve efficiency and zoning, an air conditioning unit is concealed in the joinery of each bedroom along and supplies hair through an air grill. There are also hydronic wall heating panels installed on a wall of each bedroom.
On the ground floor, the hydronic heating is in slab and is zoned centrally. Hydronic in-slab heating is efficient as it utilizes the slab to centrally distribute heat through evenly spaced coils. The conservatory does not have cooling as it is predominantly zoned as an outdoor space.

physical enclosures

The external facade of the bedrooms’ physical enclosure clearly expresses each defined space as a separate room both from the external structure, creating separate forms with uniquely pitched roofs and zinc sheet cladding which forms the external finish of both the roof and the walls, expressing a monolithic form. Within the internal space of these structures, the plasterboard internal finishes also express the angled roof. The materiality expresses the function, with the bedrooms cladded with plasterboard and timber laminate which produces a sense of warmth and comfort within a space of retreat and relaxation.
Within the conservatory, the translucency of the operable glass louvers and the Pyranese stone tiling defines the space as a communal, sheltered outdoor space that allows for physical partitioning but allowing visual continuity into the outdoor gardens.