Putney House. The South Facade, which looks out over the Parramatta River. Photograph by Patrick Bingham-Hall.

  • Client ::

    • Private Residence

  • Location ::

    • Putney, NSW

  • Completed ::

    • 2001

  • Team ::

    • Tim Greer and John Chesterman. Photos by Patrick Bingham-Hall

Project Description::

On the northern bank of the Parramatta River, the site is set between large new architecturally undistinguished houses. The view is to the south, and the plan was designed to take the form of an enclosed and private north-facing courtyard with living rooms extending through the depth of the house.

The main living space is double-height. The expressive form of its folded plywood roof reaches through the wall to form a sunshade for its exposed glazing. On the upper floor, the main bedrooms and study are reached from a gallery bridge across this space.

Externally the house has a dual character – to the north and facing the courtyard, the forms are playful and expressive, while the southern riverfront elevation recalls a pure ideal of the classical villa, with three pavilions raised on a blank base. The external walls are grey-stained ply, jointed with aluminium tee sections. Windows and solid shutters slide across the face of the walls, to leave the openings free of framing.