McLeod House

This 4 bedroom house is located on a ridge above Sydney’s Middle Harbour, with significant district views as well as a distant view to Chatswood in the west. Officially it is alterations and additions to a 1970’s house, as 30% of the original house had to be retained to allow the house to retain it’s floor area, height and location on the site, all of which exceeded new planning controls for the area. The garage and bedroom wing are maintained in the original location, while a new 2 level steel framed structure replaces the original western wing.

The site falls steeply to the west and north west, allowing uninterrupted views over the surrounding houses, with a large terrace opening off the main living area, cantilevered over the hillside. The lower level contains a guest bedroom, gymnasium, laundry and family room, that opens to the pool terrace. The upper level contains twin garages, 3 bedrooms, study, bathrooms, TV room and open plan kitchen, dining and living area. A central corridor runs through the house from the recessed front door to the top of the stair, with a series of fixed and sliding wall panels opening to rooms either side. Two north west facing sawtooth clerestory windows allow light and ventilation to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Terrazzo tiles are used on the corridor, bathroom and living area floors, as well as the external terrace, while carpet is installed in bedrooms and TV room.

The exterior of the house is clad in composite aluminium panels and horizontal aluminium louvres for privacy and sun shading. These materials express the new steel framed portions of the house, while the original brick base has been rendered and painted white. The new steel beams are expressed to emphasise the strong horizontal form of the lightweight upper level, supported off a solid masonry base. The house is built on a sandstone rock ledge, which is clearly visible where it projects beyond the building footprint.