Southern Outlet House – Philip M Dingemanse
Project summary
Situated on a northeast-facing slope, adjacent to a major arterial road, the Southern Outlet House is a site-specific study of the contribution a private residence may make to the public domain and the role of architecture more broadly in a small regional centre. The core requirements of a climatically responsive and welcoming family home underpin the project. The building is sited and planned to maximise the attributes of the location and work within the constraints of a steep slope and restrictive budget. Adopting a strategy from early 20th Century naval camouflage, the dazzle technique is employed, not in order to conceal the mass of building, but rather to manipulate its public face, adjust its scale, and suggest another dimension to the otherwise flat facade. The building acknowledges people passing by in vehicles at speed, as well as those living on the hill opposite who view back to the static object. The public face is perhaps changed in its form and nature and becomes just another highway directional sign, vehicle, billboard or piece of public art. Ultimately the scheme is the inevitable consequence of a situation where the owner, architect and builder are the same person.
Construction
Philip M Dingemanse – builder
EF & CA Dingemanse – builder
Consultants
GHD – structural consultant
Jonathan Wherrett – photographer