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Master Builders Awards 2014 – renovation to $275000


The 2014 Gold Coast & Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards were announced on Friday, 28 February, at Dreamworld and the Big Brother House.

From the sixteen projects entered – including sport, health and community facilities, private homes, commercial and multiple housing projects, interior and urban design – ten were selected by the Australian Institute of Architects jury. A new award of Regional Building of the Year was given to recognize the best local project by a local architect, and a special prize was awarded for Enduring Architecture. Projects receiving a Regional Commendation now progress to the state Queensland Architecture Awards, to be announced in Brisbane on 20 June 2014.

On this year’s jury were: Liam Proberts of bureau^proberts (jury director), Paul Uhlmann (Paul Uhlmann Architects), David Brown (Sunland Group), Katherine Rickard (Mode Design), Chris Gee (Coast Arc), Catherine Baudet (Ferrier Baudet Architects), Mark Jones (Architectus) and Paul Curran (PUSH).

Master Builders Regional Awards 2012

Description of Entry:
“Sea What Happens” Yamba

The build: “Sea What Happens” Yamba, was for client Karen Dare. This house was designed and constructed with two clear directions from the beginning:

  1. Classic 50s architecture, which Karen the client shows with her furnishings, concepts and ideas, and
  2. functioning holiday beach house.

With the first direction in mind we set about studying construction of that era.  FC cladding (AC cladding) was mostly common and perfect for the lightweight style used here.  A 1degree pitch for the rafters and these were exposed over the balconies and soffits – heavily used in the fifties.  We tried to think of, and use as many of these styles and methods from that time to effect.  All decking was hand nailed, punched and staggered.

Inside is very minimalistic, with beautiful 130m turpentine flooring, Sydney Bluegum feature screening.  Plastering included no skirting P50 internals on the ceiling and square set windows.  Hand carved Ebony and nickel door furniture, upon 2400 solid core doors.

The soil in Yamba, particularly this region of the hill, is covered with an alluvial wind borne sand that has poor qualities for construction (similar to building on a sand dune); footings would not stand up, trenches collapsed and the angle of repose was something that we constantly had to monitor in conjunction with the engineer.  Site access was a constant concern being on a sloping block and also a one-way lane, thus making deliveries, site storage and concrete pours challenging.

Throughout the build we would consider the community, in that we would try to utilize local trades, suppliers and businesses.

As a builder, this build was very enjoyable.  All aspects of the design and innovation were very appealing to us as it is not the norm, with fresh ideas and concepts that are outside the box.