“The clients wished to create a house that sat comfortably in the landscape as well taking inspiration from the existing farm buildings on site”
The house is sited as part of a working farm Green Hills Farm that has been established by the client to regenerate 150 acres of West Gippsland pasture and bushland. The house functions as a centre for their operations, a family home and a place from which they can offer different experiences. The property is accessed via a steep road that overlooks the remainder of the property below. The house is approached past the orchard and garden beds of the farm and the main house is nestled into the hill with a timber board and batten wall facing the approach. As you enter the breezeway through a large red sliding barn door, the space opens up to the valley below. The central breezeway uses recycled brick that contrasts with the rough timber lining boards used throughout the house. The boards reflect the timber boards that were on the interior of the milking sheds that used to stand on the site. To the left is the large central space with glazing to the full extent of the West façade looking over the valley. The space is defined by several large, exposed timber trusses and columns supporting the timber-lined roof. The trusses were constructed on site by the builder. The rear wall features the same recycled brick used in the breezeway. The floor is burnished concrete, and this material is echoed in the kitchen benchtops. The interior uses black detailing in the joinery, steel splashback and the steel plates joining the timber trusses.
The far end wall has a custom formed concrete bench with a steel firewood rack at one end. An open fireplace perches on the bench with exposed flue through the ceiling.
The bedroom wing is on the other side of the breezeway and has two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a master bedroom and Ensuite. A central hallway runs along the length with the rough boards on the bedroom side contrasting with white full height joinery on the other side. The master bedroom at the end commands views over the valley, with timber detailing in the flooring and joinery. The master Ensuite and bathroom contrast with a continuation of the black theme used in the kitchen.
To the South of the main house is a studio that again uses the language and materiality of the old shed that stood on the site. The exterior is clad with rusty galvanised iron, contrasted with black detailing in the flashings and windows. The interior is finished in limed plywood on the walls and ceiling with a burnished concrete floor. The kitchen is detailed with contrasting black cupboards. The bathroom pod is accessed past storage cupboards. The bathroom is lined in simple galvanised ripple iron that follows the curves of the exterior walls.
The space is used as a retreat from the main house and for visitors to the farm.
Builder: JW & WM Woodbridge Building Pty Ltd.
Medical Consulting Suites – Latrobe Regional Hospital
“The building was designed to replace the existing consulting suites that were destroyed in a fire and to create a modern facility in keeping the the recent developments at the hospital.”
Client Name: Latrobe Regional Hospital
Area: 900m²
Builder: Farnham Developments
Construction Budget: $3.0m
Competed January 2018
The Latrobe regional hospital – Princes Highway consulting suites were destroyed in a blaze in May 2016. The hospital engaged Slap Architects to design a replacement building and it was competed almost 18 months later. The $3 million redevelopment includes more than 15 additional consulting suites comprising 33 in total as well as a number of treatment rooms for day procedures.
The stand – alone building presents itself to the hospital’s main street frontage behind a mounded soil berm . The architecture is informed by the recent developments of the main hospital using a similar material palette. The building form is a simple diagonally split rectangle that creates and entrance and glazed facades at the centre.
The entry is design with high ceilings that allow in plenty of natural light.
The exterior plant area has been highlighted with the use of red painted “Z” purlins to form a curved sculptural enclosure.
The interiors are a clean / modern design that utilises custom designed lights that delineate the spaces. Applied graphics and colour in furnishings are used to break up the spaces. The interiors are also designed to provide a contemporary space that is warm and moves away from the “clinical” spaces of previous decades.
As the building is quite long, the corridors have been given a “zig-zag” wall treatment to break up the visual length.
Federation Training – Higher Education
“Federation Training required a space that was vibrant, contemporary and engaged the students."
Project Name:
federation training (formerly gippstafe) higher education classrooms and administration
Area:
300m²
Construction Budget:
$0.5m
Builder:
TS Constructions
The area occupied by this fitout was left vacant as part of the Gippstafe Academy project for future occupation. We were originally commissioned by Gippstafe to design a fitout for Ballarat University to occupy. During the process the Tafe’s amalgamated and the area is now used for higher education training.
The client required a fitout that reflected their new building and direction in education in Traralgon. They wanted something that was vibrant and engaged the students. We therefore came up with a contemporary design that uses bold colours and materials to produce an environment that provides both an impact upon entry as well as a light, bright space for learning. The design is also in harmony with the remainder of the building’s interiors, using similar materials such as plywood panelled walls.
We used colourful directional carpet in the entry and plywood framed “portals” to delineate and emphasise the classroom entries. The remainder of the spaces use darker colours as a contrast.
The use of bold colours is continued through the fitout in the use of furniture and joinery finishes in the main areas and the bathrooms.
Merry Christmas from Slap Architects
As the year draws to a close we would like to take this opportunity to reflect on our year and to thank our wonderful clients. We have completed some very exciting projects which we will share on our website soon.
One of the most prominent, fun and most talked about projects we have undertaken this year has been the design and construction of the amenities in the main street of Bairnsdale. No doubt if you have driven through town you would have seen the bold, colourful building.
East Gippsland Shire Council embraced our idea of creating a building that is both contemporary in its materials and colours but also pays homage to the timber post and beam and corrugated iron construction of the region's architectural history. If you haven’t seen it, take a look at the project here.
We have also been involved in several other commercial projects across the region encompassing both upgrade works and new construction, including:
- The new MRI suites at Bairnsdale Regional Hospital and Latrobe Regional Hospitals
- Refurbishment works and new suites at Bairnsdale Regional Hospital and Latrobe Regional Hospitals
- A new Trade Skills Centres for Nagle College, Catholic College Sale and Lavalla Catholic College
- New teaching areas and offices for Federation Training (formerly GippsTAFE).
We have also had the opportunity to work on a broad range of houses for new families moving to the area, retiring couples, empty nesters and holiday houses. We have designed in some fantastic locations throughout East Gippsland and worked with our clients to create homes that capture the amazing views on offer around our beautiful region while maximising the benefits of their locations as well as providing a result that is personally tailored to their lifestyle.
We will be taking a short break this year, returning on Monday the 5th of January.
We wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2015 from all of us at Slap Architects.
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Gippstafe Academy Traralgon (now Federation Training)
“The Central Gippsland Institute of Tafe required a new flagship building, the Gippstafe Academy that would reaffirm their presence in the Latrobe Valley and showcased their commitment to community education and involvement.”
Client:
Central Gippsland Institute of Tafe
Area:
2400m²
Construction Budget:
$6.4 Million
Builder:
Kirway Construction
The building is a showcase for the Central Gippsland Institute of TAFE (GippsTAFE) I.T. centre, – the Flexible Innovation and Learning Room (FLAIR), general purpose classrooms, student amenities on the ground floor. In addition the ground floor houses the GippsTafe Employment and Transitional Training (GETT) centre, which caters to individuals facing barriers to traditional education and employment. The second floor has office areas, a conference centre with kitchen and breakout areas that opens onto an alfresco area and a student lounge. The building is designed to be approachable ,breaking away from a corporate institutional image by providing soft materials, vibrant colours and extensive landscaping.
The client wished for a visually prominent building as it is located on the axis of two major roads in Traralgon. The facade features a striking 2 storey coloured perspex screen that filters the light through to the building behind. In addition it is lit at night to become a “lantern”. The Princes Highway facade also features a 20m long perforated metal screen that partially shields the first floor alfreso area. It features motifs of students engaged in various educational activities.
The first floor has a large North facing alfreso area with planters that can be divided between the conference and student and staff areas with large timber clad sliding doors.
The interior spaces use the large skylights and double height spaces to provide natural light to the interior. A large plywood feature wall lines the ground and first floor corridors, and is complemented by bold colours.