PROJECT OVERVIEW
DA Approved contemporary two-storey family home designed around a challenging creekside site in Valentine.
Location: Valentine, NSW
Project Type: Custom New Home / Knockdown Rebuild
Council: Lake Macquarie City Council
Approval: DA Approved
PROJECT GALLERY
THE BRIEF
The owners approached us to design what was intended to become their long-term family home on their Valentine property. The existing single-storey dwelling and detached garage were to be demolished and replaced with a substantial contemporary two-storey residence. The brief included five bedrooms, multiple living spaces, open-plan kitchen, dining and family areas, alfresco entertaining, a double garage and an in-ground swimming pool. The site itself presented significant technical considerations. Its low-lying position beside Shepherds Creek meant flood planning needed to be incorporated into the design, while specialist investigation also identified a high potential for acid sulfate soils.
THE DESIGN RESPONSE
The design developed as a substantial contemporary family home with a strong street presence, generous glazing and clearly defined architectural forms. The façade combined rendered elements, feature stonework and warm timber-look detailing to soften the scale of the two-storey design and give the home a more residential character.
The internal planning was organised around generous family living, with the kitchen, dining and family spaces forming the centre of the ground floor and the bedrooms primarily located upstairs.
The property's flood-affected location influenced the building levels from the beginning. The main habitable floor was established at RL 2.36 AHD, while the garage was lowered to RL 1.61 AHD to work with the required driveway profile. These levels were subsequently incorporated into Council's conditions of development consent. Despite those requirements, the house was designed to retain a strong relationship between the internal living areas, alfresco spaces, swimming pool and landscaped rear yard.
Specialist assessment identified the site within a Class 2 Acid Sulfate Soil area, with a high potential for acid sulfate material to be encountered during excavation. An Acid Sulfate Soils Management Plan was prepared, and Council subsequently required works associated with the development to comply with that management plan.
This meant the project needed considerably more site and consultant coordination than the relatively level residential block might initially suggest.
PROJECT OUTCOME
Valentine House received Development Approval from Lake Macquarie City Council. The approved design resolved the requirements of a substantial family home alongside the property's flood levels, creekside location and difficult ground conditions.