PROJECT OVERVIEW
Custom single-storey home in Glenbrook designed around established trees, family living and detailed interior finishes.
Location: Glenbrook, NSW
Project Type: Custom New Home / Knockdown Rebuild
Council: Blue Mountains City Council
Status: Under Construction
PROJECT GALLERY
THE BRIEF
The owners wanted a spacious single-storey family home with four bedrooms, separate media/lounge and gym spaces, and an open-plan kitchen, dining and family area flowing directly to the rear alfresco. The kitchen was to include an island bench, walk-in pantry and butler’s kitchen, while the alfresco was planned as a genuine outdoor entertaining area with its own cooking facilities. A traditional pitched-roof form and brick exterior were also preferred rather than a contemporary flat-roof design.
THE DESIGN RESPONSE
The home was developed as a low-profile single-storey design that responds to both the character of Glenbrook and the physical constraints of the site. With approximately 3.7 metres of fall across the property, simply cutting the house further into the land would have affected established tree root systems. Instead, the rear section was designed using tree-sensitive construction, including a suspended structure and piers, reducing excavation around important Tree Protection Zones. The overall building height was deliberately kept low, with most of the dwelling approximately 5.9 metres above natural ground level and the highest section approximately 6.3 metres. The northern street frontage also allows one of the main living areas to benefit from winter sun.
PROJECT OUTCOME
York House is now under construction. The completed design provides the owners with the four-bedroom family home they originally requested while responding carefully to the sloping site and established trees. Distinct Innovations also prepared a comprehensive 23-page schedule of suggested finishes, extending the design beyond the architectural drawings into coordinated exterior and interior material selections.