Lecture And Tutorial Blog: Week 11

Lecture

Hugh Buhrich:

This lecture focussed on the Buhrich House on Edinburgh Road in Castlecrag (1968-72). The suburb itself had a very interesting history, created by Griffin in the 1920’s, following the Canberra design. The suburb was designed with the landscape in mind “Man could live in and with his landscape”, as the streets highlighted the natural contours and the buildings seemed to be “of the natural stone”. A particular sketch was very interesting as the landscape and a large tree were the centre of the image, with the house hiding amongst the background, as if it could be mistaken as a rock ledge. The Buhrich house itself uses a pre-existing Griffin house to create a exhilaration design overlooking the water. It is a design of boundless liquidity with particular interest being placed on the interesting ‘wavy’ roof and the flowing bathroom design.

Tutorial

First Feedback:

In my first draft design I tried to highlight a variety of ideas.

The Client:

• Simon Mcgrath + Family
• Who Left the Taps Running? (Thought to be positioned at the bottom of the site)

The Site:

• Highlight the large contour changes around Sydney – the central element of the harbour and the ridges running from its peninsulas
• The natural rock of the site, and the attempt to sit the design within the landscape.

Frank Gehry:

• Lateral Movement from the front to the back of the site
• Breaking down the traditional suburban exterior barrier
• Central rooms overlooking important interior/exterior spaces.

Feedback:

• Develop the interior spaces further; there may not be adequate space to hold the client’s activities.
• Sun lighting on the public garden and site in general due to the large terracing on the northern side.