house profile wamberal

A
Light
With a little passive design, architect
Matt Elkan helps a fibro cottage on NSW’s
Central Coast make the most of its location.
Words Siobhan O’Brien
Photography Simon Whitbread

L
Touch
The northern terrace with
its 2m overhang facilitates
inside-outside living in the
cooler months, with a
breakfast nook positioned
underneath the kitchen
window and an outdoor
table for entertaining.

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J
The north facing eave kicks
up to permit plenty of winter
light through low-e glazed
doors and windows. The
materials pallet is kept
deliberately simple, with
expressed recycled Australian
hardwood battens and
Colorbond roof sheeting.

When the time came for Jenny Palmer to renovate,

she knew she would want a sensitive, humble and community-minded
design approach. Having lived for ten years in a beaten-up old fibro
cottage looking out on a splendid view dreaming about how the house
could be better, she also knew she’d want a home that lives in sympathy
with its site and microclimate.
Says Jenny, “I had a lot of time to think about the renovation, so by
the time it came to do it, I knew the block very well – where the sun was at
what time of day and time of year.”
She enlisted the services of architect Matt Elkan to transform her
dreams into reality. Matt is clearly passionate about environmental
design. He cut his teeth with the talented Sydney-based architect
Virginia Kerridge, but it was an early stint working in the Netherlands
which had the greatest impact on his work. “I was based in Maastricht,
the oldest city in the Netherlands, which dates from the 1600s,” says
Matt. “I arrived there just after graduating from university. From my time
there, a few things really stuck with me: the need to conserve built fabric,
living in small spaces and the impact of the climate. Australia has only a
slightly larger population than the Netherlands, but the Netherlands is
only around 200km by 400km. This makes me feel very lucky, as does our
temperate climate!”

“I’m a real lover of the outdoors and I wanted

an open plan, free-flowing entertaining area
with the kitchen as the focal point.”
“The house I designed for Jenny is a real statement about what my
client wants from life, for herself and what she believes in,” says Matt.
“The project has integrity and credibility. It’s deliberately humble with a
modest environmental footprint.”
It was the appeal of a temperate climate that seduced Jenny to the
Central Coast many years ago. Now she takes full advantage of life in
her north-facing home, which – post-renovation – includes north and
south facing outdoor living spaces, two metre overhangs (which shade
the living and dining room spaces when required) and ample cross
ventilation.
According to Jenny, “I’m a real lover of the outdoors and I wanted an
open plan, free-flowing entertaining area with the kitchen as the focal
point. I also wanted indoor spaces flowing into outdoor to take advantage
of this house’s great aspect. I frequently entertain, so these elements
were certainly important from a lifestyle perspective.”

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Normally, passive design
requires minimal glazing to
shady southern walls, but in
this case views over the water
demand to be enjoyed. To
resolve the conundrum, an
open plan design permits
southerly views to be enjoyed
year-round from either the
rear deck or the northern
terrace at the front. The best
of both worlds.

J
Sheer curtain is Mokum fabric
with a blockout curtain on a
second S track. Curtains and
cushions by Preston Hunter
Interiors, West Gosford.
Empire lounge by Jardan,
fabric is Mokum Ficus in
Sweet Pea colour. Rug is by
Boyd Blue. Coffee Table is a
Noguchi. The Australian hoop
pine ply lampshade is by
David Trubridge.

The passive heating and cooling properties of this coastal abode

were given a leg up with the application of appropriate cladding, roof
sheeting, insulation (in the walls and roof), low-e laminated glazing and
a basement that is double brick.
Matt also paid great attention to the re-use of existing building fabric
in combination with the use of sustainable materials. Recycled Australian
hardwood was used for the flooring, the exposed rafters, battens and
some of the cladding; while Australian hoop pine ply was used for ceilings
in the entry to the kitchen and living/bedroom. The same ply was also
employed in much of the joinery in the kitchen, bedroom and living
room.
The property features two sizeable rainwater tanks which are used
for the laundry, toilets and garden. As Jenny explains, “It was important
to me to have the rainwater tanks. Now I can water the garden when I
need to and not use vital supplies unnecessarily.”
Jenny’s obvious passion for nature is also evidenced with a discerning From the breakfast nook
selection of eco-oriented art, sculptures, knick-knacks and the like. beneath the kitchen window,
Jenny’s guests can chat with
There’s a windswept Banksia branch beside the bed in the main bedroom, their host while enjoying the
a gnarled chunk of driftwood on the wall, and canvases in various rooms sunshine and views over the
water. In the evening they can
that depict trees, landscape and Australia’s glorious coastline. move inside or, in warmer
weather, to the outdoor
A good architect has to understand personality just as much as
dining table. (The indoor
proportion and a properly designed house should fit the people who live dining table was designed by
Matt Elkan, and made by Fine
in it. Matt Elkan obviously knows his client. Says Jenny, “I love it here. Earth Joinery out of Hoop
I don’t want to move ever again!” Pine Ply and linoleum.)

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“The project has integrity and

credibility. It’s deliberately
humble with a modest
environmental footprint.”

L
Floors are recycled Australian D
hardwood with tung oil finish. The bedspread is Marimekko
The chair is a “Plank” chair, “Tulli”, also from Chee Soon
which can be sourced through & Fitzgerald.
Great Dane furniture (www.
greatdanefurniture.com),
while the wall hanging in the 01
study is Marimekko from Chee
Soon & Fitzgerald, Surry Hills,
Sydney.
dp

04 05 06
07

08
GROUND Floor Plan
01 Terrace
09 02 Bedroom 1
02 03 Bedroom 2
03
04 Bathroom
dp 05 Laundry
06 Bathroom
07 Kitchen
10
08 Dining
09 Living
10 Deck

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house profile wamberal

Wamberal Residence
Designer Sustainable Features
Matt Elkan Architect
— Hot water
Builder Rinnai Infinity 16 Instantaneous Gas
Olzomer Constructions
— Water Saving
Project type 2 x 5000L Bluescope Zincalume Aquaplate rainwater
Renovation tanks plumbed to laundry and toilet
—
Project location Passive heating & cooling
Wamberal, NSW – North orientation
— – 2m overhangs to north living /dining room spaces
Cost – Zoned living spaces
$400,000 – Cross ventilation
—
Size Active heating & cooling
house 139sqm, land 521sqm – Portable gas heaters
– Hunter Pacific Sycamore ceiling fans
www.hunterpacific.com.au

Windows & glazing

– Pilkington ComfortPlus 6.38 low-e laminated glass

Building materials
– Plantation grown and recycled Australian
hardwoods
– Australian hoop pine ply
– 6mm Hardiflex fibre cement sheet cladding
– BlueScope Colorbond roof sheeting.
– R2.5 bulk insulation in walls, R3.0 + 50mm reflective
foil backed building blanket in roof

Paints, finishes & floor coverings

– Tung oil to timber floors

Lighting
– LEDs by TOVO lighting
www.tovolighting.com.au

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