Tennyson Point House
“A home designed to reflect the joy of life”
Overlooking the Parramatta River, this steeply sloping site (with a fall of approximately 9 metres) is also a rare offering, given its size at around 1,500 square metres. These unique attributes were incongruous to the fairly basic 1960s house that was found here. However, with the discovery of the inner-west, areas such as Tennyson Point are becoming keenly sought after, with families wanting to build substantial contemporary homes.
As with many of JLA Architects’ clients, the starting point for this property was not only to look at their requirements but, as importantly, to address those items that simply formed part of a wish list that was superfluous to their needs. Designed for a client who formerly worked as a landscape architect, there was desire from the outset, in spite of the fall of the land, for the house to be strongly connected to the garden – working with Michael Bates from Bates Landscape. The clients were also drawn to some of the glazed pavilion-like homes from the 1950s, found in cities such as Los Angeles.
So, given the fall of the land, the design for the house, approximately 500 square metres in area, is conceived across three levels, with an infinity edged swimming pool on the lowest level creating an expansive body of water from the pool to the river. The inclusion of generous floor-to-ceiling glazing on all levels also firmly anchors the concrete, steel and stone house in its locale.
The lower ground floor level comprises carparking for three cars (complete with a turning circle for easier manoeuvring), the swimming pool, with its alfresco dining area, a gymnasium, laundry, a home office and a cinema. And at ground level, there’s the open plan kitchen and living areas, all benefiting from the aspect on the north-west orientation. Given the house was designed for entertaining, JLA Architects included a spacious kitchen with a generous butler’s kitchen concealed behind. There’s also a study and another bedroom with an ensuite on this level, conceived for the owners’ in-laws. The central courtyard-style garden not only provides an important connection to the garden, but also allows for natural light to permeate the core of a relatively large floor plate. This light and connection to the garden also benefits the top level of the house which comprises a palatial bedroom suite with its own ensuite and separate dressing area, together with two further bedrooms for the children.
As with many bespoke homes designed by JLA Architects, there are a number of curvaceous features that start with the in situ concrete walls that line the basement car park and in some walls and voids throughout the home. These curves are juxtaposed to some of the more linear features, such as the ‘skeletal-like and floating’ staircase positioned against a glazed wall. Given the qualities of the site and its unique location overlooking the river, JLA Architects was also mindful of the design being relatively quietly expressed, using a limited but highly considered palette of materials.
Architect – StudioJLA
Interior Design – StudioJLA
Builder – TBC
Structural Engineer – JSBC consulting
Hydraulic Engineer – C&M Consulting
Civil Engineer – ACM Consulting
Landscape – Michael Bates Landscapes
Project Manager – JW Project Management
Council – City of Ryde Council
