Scotland Island House
By Sam Crawford Architects
2019 Guringai Country / Scotland Island, NSW
2019 Smeg Tour 2020 competition – Shortlist
Scotland Island is located at the southern end of the Pittwater estuary, about an hour north of Sydney. It lies within the lands of the Guringai people, the original inhabitants of the area. Middens, containing remnants of shells and fish gathered and cooked by Guringai, have been found on the northern and western parts of the Island and there are numerous rock engravings carved by the Guringai people on the surrounding hills. Accessed only by boat, and without sealed roads, the island is now a renowned hub for Sydney artists and musicians.
The Scotland Island House is set on a steep, densely wooded, north-westerly facing site, overlooking Pittwater and the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park. The design capitalises on the stunning water and bush views whilst being sensitive to the ecology and community of the island. Once part of a large estate on the island, the site has never before been built on. Aside from numerous endemic plants, the land carried eighteen protected spotted gum trees. With careful planning, we managed to retain sixteen of these important trees.
A series of stepping volumes informed by the steep topography, and the need to stay within mandated height-lines, gives each room a particular view, and minimises impact on trees and neighbouring view lines. Together with the stepped form, charred timber cladding softens the visual impact of the building when seen from the water and surrounding properties.
Sam and his team embraced the challenges of designing for an off-shore and ecologically-sensitive site. They capably navigated council regulations and engaged with the local community before producing plans for two beautiful homes.
– private client
Project Team
Sam Crawford, Benjamin Chan, Ken Warr
Builder
RW Stidwill Constructions
Consultants
Arborist – Birds Tree Consultancy
Bushfire – Sydney Bushfire Consultants
Civil, Geotech, Hydraulic Engineer – Martens & Associates
Ecologist – GIS Environmental Consultants
Landscape Architect – Spirit Level Designs
Structural engineer – Cantilever Consultant Engineers
Council
Northern Beaches Council
Photographers
Simon Whitbread
Brett Boardman
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About the
Professional
Established in 1999, Sam Crawford Architects (SCA) is a design driven architectural practice based in Sydney, Australia. Over the last 20 years, we have established a well-earned reputation for design excellence in residential, cultural and public projects. In addition to our expertise in these areas, we’re also commencing our work in the education sector with both private and public clients.
Our work has been widely published, nationally and internationally and has been recognised in numerous local, state and national awards from the Australian Institute of Architects, Australian Timber Design Awards, Local Government Heritage, Conservation and Urban Design as well as numerous industry awards & commendations.
PeopleOur team is led by Practice Principal and Design Director, Sam Crawford. Alongside the recognition for his built work Sam is highly regarded within the architectural profession. He has led humanitarian architectural projects, conducted gallery based and built research projects, been invited to serve as head-juror for the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) Awards, and was a joint creative-director of the 2014 Australian Institute of Architects National Conference. Sam is co-chair of the Australian Institute of Architects’ Medium Practice Forum, and a member of the Government Architect NSW State Design Review Panel.
With a practice of our size, clients can be assured that Sam is intimately involved in each project. We work in an open-plan studio environment in collaborative teams to ensure the smooth delivery of projects across all scales. Our team is comprised of highly skilled professionals, graduates and students. This mix of team members ensures that each project benefits from the close attention of a dedicated project architect with a support team to efficiently deliver the project. We also have an experienced and dedicated documentation and detailing expert who brings extensive experience of construction detailing to each project.
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