Practical cladding solution by BlueScope Lysaght features in the inner city
A Sydney architect has created a pair of inner city residences
which incorporates design highlights from materials he first used in tropical
North Queensland.
"Alexandria's key attractions are that it is just a few minutes away from the
Sydney CBD and is one of the last immediate environs of the city that has yet
to be fully redeveloped," David Langston-Jones said.
"We were looking for a block of land for a house in 1999 when we found a vacant
block in a back lane with a 16 metre frontage and a depth of 9.5 metre's.
"After we bought it we realised that we could, if we were clever, put two homes
on it - but only just."
David Langston-Jones took several years to design, win planning approval and erect
the building which now occupies the site. Its exterior makes extensive use of
LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB® and MINI ORB® cladding in ZINCALUME® steel.
"Like many places in inner Sydney, Alexandria was a varied tapestry of light
industrial, residential and corner shops," David said.
"Now the industrial areas have largely been taken over by apartment buildings, but
there are other changes afoot and the whole suburb is in a state of flux.
"That gave rise to all sorts of architectural challenges, but our plan from the outset
was to build a home in which we would enjoy living and to rent out the second residence.
"We didn't think about a market, we thought about ourselves and our own needs. The
result is a pair of modern row houses which have the same density as the 19th century
terrace house next door."
The use of LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB® and MINI ORB® cladding in ZINCALUME® steel for the roof,
front elevation and part of the living room ceiling hark back to Alexandria's earlier
appearance, but also serve other purposes.
"It's such a practical, low-maintenance material and that's what most of us with busy
lives are looking for," David said. "I barely have time to adjust the louvre's, let
alone do any home upkeep.
"We were also able to use the grain of the CUSTOM ORB® and MINI ORB® cladding corrugations
to highlight architectural aspects of the building."
David Langston-Jones wrestled with a design solution for the building's garage doors
almost up to the day on which his builder Joe La Rosa needed to place an order.
"They have been drawn for years as rather bland items, but I thought there had to be
more to life than that," David said.
"We had already used the idea of CUSTOM ORB® corrugations in two directions on the rest
of the elevation and after years of thinking about how to resolve the door design the
idea came to me overnight.
"Because the door openings are perfectly square it was possible to divide the door surfaces
into lots of smaller squares. I had used MINI ORB® a lot in North Queensland when I practiced
up there, because the fine rib appearance is attractive.
"We sketched the design with MINI ORB® corrugations running vertically and horizontally,
then included three panels of sandblasted glass to provide light. The doors are just one
moment in a much larger design, but they are an important moment."
MINI ORB® cladding was also used for the front doors of the two residences, while the rear
elevation to the garden has a 45 degree roof clad in CUSTOM ORB® sheeting with ribs running
horizontally.
"That rear roof is a big area, but running the corrugations horizontally puts it in tune with
the sky and the horizon," David said. "Rainwater runs over the corrugations into a half round
gutter, then runs down a chain into the drains."
The ceiling beneath that roof section is clad in MINI ORB® sheeting as part of the design aim
to give the feeling that the living room is an outside space, especially when the huge hanging
glass curtain door is slid open.
Structural elements of the building are made from welded steel assembled by builder Joe La
Rosa who had an extensive background in steel fabrication. He also supervised all steel cladding.
BlueScope Lysaght is a leading supplier of steel building products, with a product range
including roofing and walling, rainwater goods, fences, home improvements, structural sections
and house framing. It exclusively uses premium steel products such as COLORBOND® steel,
ZINCALUME® steel and TRUECORE® steel.
For further information on these products call your local BlueScope Lysaght branch or Steel
Direct on 1800 641 417.
For further information contact:
BlueScope Steel
phone: 1800 800 789
fax: 1800 800 744
web: www.bluescopesteel.com.au
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