interchange

Stephen Page: Artistic director of Bungurra dance company

Due to Stephens Aboriginal heritage and large extended family, i wanted to design a weekend home that will keep with in the Aboriginal culture of kingship and welcoming (family, extended family and friends).
To make sure that the house exists as a retreate to the individuels that use it i wanted the house to have the ability to be 'opened' up and 'closed' down depending on the numbers and people using it at the time.
As it is essentially a holiday home i wanted it to have the ability to house many people at one time but I also wanted it to be accomidating when only one or two people decide to use it. So the home can be opened in stages as required.
As Page is commited to translating his Aboriginal roots in a contemporary manner, I hope this home communicates the same thing.

IDEAS:

Spaces that face the water and catch the views are communal (living rooms, dinning areas etc.), so the more intimate and personal views from the back of the home needed to correlate to what was happening in those spaces. Areas that are more reflective or personal face the bush land to the rear of the building and offer glimpses through openings.

The idea of the protective wall or apron around the building will lead into and suggest things like materials and inbuilt furniture. The wall will in essence become part of the structure and the more personal junctions or moments.

HOUSE AS A MANIFESTO:

I feel that the house should be lived in a manner that is conducive to family life and a testament to sociability with in the family (and in the case of Stephen Page extended family). I hope my design has developed the idea about how he might live.

By keeping ares separate and letting the home be used in stages, keeping in mind ideas of kingship and opening up the home for others I hope that this adds positively to the homes experience.