james garvan combines three gabled forms in the façade of north bondi house in australia

james garvan architecture has clad this house in north bondi, australia, in a façade whose geometric composition mirrors that of its neighbor, but is stripped of ornamentation. composed of three staggered gabled forms, the unadorned frontage prioritizes purity and clarity whilst still maintaining a formal connection with its ornate neighbor. as such, the exterior creates a strong link to the outdoors, ensures privacy from the street, and achieves the ability to adapt the building to various thermal conditions via the fully operable and dynamic front and rear façades.all images by katherine lu

in building north bondi house, james garvan architecture sought to advance the traditional semi-detached housing type to better reflect the contemporary social and cultural context of bondi. paired with its ornate neighbor and set amongst the backdrop of vernacular semi-detached houses, the project takes from the unadvanced, traditional context to offer an optimistic, ambitious and contemporary response. the geometry of the new façade is a mirror of its neighbor, but is stripped of ornamentation, focusing on the purity and clarity of its three staggered gabled forms. the crisply detailed simple forms of the front elevation offer an alternative to the traditional homes around it, and along with it, a sense of advancement.

‘the dialogue between the new and old is easily read with an unobstructed front boundary and a generous setback which openly engages the streetscape,’ explains james garvan. ‘this openness is balanced by the privacy offered by the dynamic timber batten screening that slides across the façades providing access, sun protection or a veil from onlookers.’

whilst the new building envelope addressed the presentation to the streetscape and interface with the broader context, the reconfiguration of the internal arrangement creates a more dynamic engagement with natural light, space and the landscape within the home. a large void in the middle of the building transforms its previously dark core through a series of strategically-placed, openable skylights, which drench the interior in sunlight throughout the day and naturally ventilate the entire residence. this void satisfied the brief requirements of separation between public and private spaces and the injection of natural light and air into the core of the home whilst maintaining privacy from the neighbors to the north. the restrained material palette relies on variety in texture and pattern and their interaction with light and space to provide a level of richness and vigor to the project.