Runciman House
Design Team: Jann Hurley, Max Kostuik Warren • Engineers: Law Sue Davison
Completed in August 2019, this home is positioned on a north facing, sloping site, with extensive views across the distant farmland and hills in the east and north, and a native bush enclave to the West.
The house is an assemblage of mono pitch roofs, layered across a number of levels that follow the contour of the site, with spaces opening from the main axis spine. The home is sheathed in a mix of blonded, random width cedar weatherboards, cedar fascias and a barge boards, contrasted with black powder coated joinery and small areas of black steel cladding. Intermediary glazed areas connect to views beyond and let light deep into the plan. The predominant use of cedar lends a rural vernacular to the project, while the orientation of the boards and their random width add interest and a vertical aspect to the long plan. Variations in board colouration also contribute to visual interest; care has been taken to match colours of boards above and below windows and the continuation of boards on the garage door in the wall cladding above.
The blonded birch ply linings are featured on the spine wall and the main living room ceiling for visual warmth and interest. Continuity is achieved with ply waterfalling from the ceiling down the walls. Careful detailing and precise planning, along with carefully executed construction, lines up ply joints with penetrations for doors and windows The ply is contrasted against white plastered walls and concrete floor tiles that allow the ply to be the hero of the space. Birch ply and veneer are used on the joinery fit out throughout the home including the kitchen and the study area. Carefully selected lights fittings also featuring ply further compliment the design.
