Sandringham House / Ellul Architecture

Architects: Ellul Architecture
Area: 234 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Hamish McIntosh, Rory Gardiner
Interiors: Ellul Architecture
Builder: Jada Homes
ESD: Eco Results
Landscape: Kangaroo Paws
Structural and Civil Engineers: Beattie Consulting Engineers
City: Melbourne
Country: Australia

Sandringham House, designed by Ellul Architecture, is a single-story family home in Melbourne’s Bayside suburb of Sandringham. Nestled under a large oak tree, this minimalist black pavilion includes courtyards that create a calming retreat. The design focused on efficiency and simplicity, using durable and sustainable materials. The house features passive design elements, operable shading, and a roof pop-up for light and ventilation. Living spaces connect to the garden, blurring indoor and outdoor boundaries. With a tight budget, the project maintained flexibility and structural simplicity by adhering to standard material sizes and formats.

Sandringham House is a sanctuary for a young family in Melbourne. This minimalist black pavilion is nestled into the landscape beneath a substantial oak tree, with a series of courtyards carved out of the simple form to create a calming retreat.

Sandringham House is a single-story family home located in the Bayside suburb of Sandringham. The existing 1950s house was compromised by a large oak tree in the front yard, resulting in disrepair. The house was dark, damp, and compartmentalized. The design brief was thoroughly examined to create a space-efficient and simple form. The design was streamlined to ensure efficiency and to stay within the limited budget. Durable and sustainable materials were selected for low maintenance and longevity. Rooms were oriented to maximize light and ventilation through courtyards and a roof pop-up. Passive design features, such as operable shading elements and high-level windows, promote cross-flow ventilation. The house was designed as a private refuge, with batten screens and operable panels providing privacy and a calming outlook through native landscaping.

The house is deliberately recessive, with a minimal black-clad pavilion that blends into the site, highlighting the oak tree as the focal point. The native landscaped front yard extends to the street, contributing to the public realm while buffering the house. The house provides refuge with screened courtyards that offer protection and opportunities for calming landscaping. Operable panels within the steel shroud can be moved across the fixed glazing, providing the option to completely isolate the house from the street.

The master suite and study face a private entrance courtyard, offering a secluded, calming outlook. To reduce the overall footprint, the additional rooms (retreat, playroom, guest bedroom) were merged into a spacious, flexible area, oriented to the north and connected to the decked courtyard. The bathroom was divided into two separate rooms to accommodate multiple users. Robes were incorporated into the circulation space to maximize the size of the bedrooms. Screened courtyards offer a serene refuge from the outside world. The living areas were seamlessly connected to the garden and courtyards, erasing the distinction between interior and exterior spaces and enhancing the view and sense of openness.

Given the tight budget, engaging a builder from the start was crucial for regular pricing to manage costs. To ensure flexibility, the design adhered to statutory controls, avoiding planning triggers and allowing the design to evolve with price considerations. The design utilized standard material sizes and formats, with the layout guided by timber spans for structural simplicity, eliminating the need for structural steel.