Wentworth House

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

Wentworth House

MHN Design Union

YEAR
2013

MANUFACTURERS
Alspec, Miele, Philippe Starck, Poliform

PHOTOGRAPHS
Richard Glover

LOCATION
Vaucluse, Australia

CATEGORY
Houses

Text description provided by architect.

The site is located on the southern ridges of Sydney Harbour at the crest of a gully which feeds into Vaucluse Bay.

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover
Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

It is heavily wooded with mature eucalypt and palm trees dotted around the site.

The site is characterised by a series of sandstone rock shelfs which occur at various heights as you descend from the street level.

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover
Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

The design brief was to provide a family home which provided generous amenity yet sat quietly within the landscape.

Our intent was to capture the story of the site through the design of the house.

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover
Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

From the outset we wanted to merge the house and land in a seamless way.

Our response was to create a series of planar elements in both plan and section to define the spaces which interlock and extend into the landscape.

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover
Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

Overlaying this idea is the linking stair which threads through the levels twisting and turning like a piece of rope.

The blade walls are parallel and orientate to the north east with the ends open or glazed thus providing transparency and openness to light, ventilation and harbour views.

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover
Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

In section, the multiple floor levels are treated like cascading platforms and echo the existing rock shelf.

These platforms serve to lower you through the house similar to an initial discovery of the site. 

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover
Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

The stair is central to this experience with the primary spaces extending from it like eddies from a stream.

These spaces are quiet and reposed yet maintain their visual connection to the circulation spine. The swimming pool extends the living space and sits high above the ground almost touching the tree canopy

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover
Wentworth House
© Richard Glover

Emphasising the experiential sequence is a sense of materiality and texture with off form concrete, recycled Ironbark, Burnt Ash and Basaltina stone forming the primary palette.

The sense of touch is heightened with the warmth of the native timbers complementing the smooth finishes of the concrete walls and stone floors.

Wentworth House
© Richard Glover


Wentworth House
First Floor Plan
Wentworth House
Second Floor Plan
Wentworth House
Third Floor Plan
Wentworth House
Fourth Floor Plan
Wentworth House
Fifth Floor Plan