3D Environment

“We knew that this project -to provide us with a sustainable weekend base on our daunting site on the Colo River- would always be a challenge. We’ve long loved the site for the peace it affords away from the city, with its remoteness, its acres of bush, wildlife and a pristine river. But the existing housing, old and dilapidated, was set on a narrow, constrained site in an extreme fire zone. It lacked basic utilities and was without telephone access, and in a mobile black spot. Its only access was a four-wheel drive route via a steep 1.3km dirt road, involving switchback bends down through sandstone cliffs. We also knew there would be a challenge in finding a builder willing and able to execute this difficult project, given its problematic site access. Helen, you rose to these challenges beautifully, delivering us a clean and elegant, unobtrusive design that sits lightly in the bush, is sensitive to seasonal issues of sunlight on a south-facing site and, with its thoughtful design, is a joy to live in. Your specifications addressed bushfire risk carefully and maximize cross-ventilation on hot summer days, as well as sightlines to connect us intimately to bush, cliffs and river. Importantly, your local knowledge also connected us with Michael Denton of Kvell Constructions, our wonderful builder who worked patiently and professionally through all of the many challenges the build threw at our team- from the 2019-2020 Black Summer bushfires, requiring urgent liaison with the RFS to protect the build, to the huge Hawkesbury flood events of 2020 and 2021, not to mention the restrictions associated with the Covid-19 pandemic! We love the detail and finishes of the completed build, and are so grateful for all of your support and input to help weather the ups-and-downs of a project that at times looked out-of-reach. In January 2020 we dug the Kvell construction sign- charred and embedded with blackened gum leaves- out of bushfire ash at our melted top gate, and it now hangs in the house as part of its story, and a reminder of the power of our environment. We feel very blessed to be able to spend time in this place, and in this very special and beautiful house. Thank you for this wonderful result!”