Andrew Coomer & Associates P/L
Andrew Coomer + Associates was established in 1997 and has worked in urban and rural locations along the eastern seaboard of Australia. Our architecture is solution driven providing cradle to cradle environmental responses to the unique conditions of each projects location, brief, budget and cultural contexts. We provide design services for new buildings, renovations, interiors and design advice for project feasibility.
Driving directions to Andrew Coomer & Associates P/L on map
Andrew Coomer & Associates P/L on Google Maps
Projects:
Bynya
Palm Beach, 2002
Located on the back of a ridge that runs north along the Barrenjoey peninsula this house is all about connecting to its environment. The approaching view of the house immediately speaks of this idea. Two offset pavilions with skillion rooves tilted up to embrace the northern sky in a saw tooth arrangement. The building uses its form and structure to deflect, catch, and block appropriate breezes, sun angles, noises and views. This is achieved with orientation, sun shading, overhangs and operable facades. Orienting the skillion rooves to the north allows sun penetration in winter and it’s exclusion in summer, in addition these roof forms capture the northeast summer breezes whilst deflecting and providing shelter from the southerlies and westerlies. The house currently accommodates the needs of a traditional nuclear family however it has the ability adjust as the occupants age. Equally it has the capacity to accommodate non-family residents and the growing need for a separate office or business environment. In essence the house has been designed to adapt and change with contemporary demographics. The use of timber is a major part of the projects environmentally sustainable credibility. In the future the house may be easily modified or de-constructed and re used for another purpose, with minimal wastage
The Boat House
Clareville, 2008
Located at the bottom of a steeply sloping site on Broken Bay North of Sydney this intricate little building is a definitive materialisation of the term ‘less is more’. The brief, was to provide for a self contained ‘place’ that overhangs the bay creating a setting for life, for fishing, for swimming, for making art, for yoga, for meditation, for physical and spiritual healing, for sleeping, for eating and for entertaining. With this brief in mind, the vexing question is what needed to be added or subtracted from this site to create a ‘stage’ for this program to occur. What parts needed to be added to create the whole? The edges of the site to the north and east were defined by a neighbouring stone structure and a steep rocky slope, the southern side of the site was exposed and uncontained and the west opened up to one of the most beautiful views one could imagine. On the pragmatic front local authorities limited the built area to 6×4 metres. The concept is to provide a built structure that transforms this beautiful, small piece of site into a stage for enhancing the spiritual side of life. The concept achieves this by creating a structure allows the entire site to become a unified space whether it be inside or outside.
Pacific
Palm Beach, 2004
This House located at Palm Beach to the north of Sydney was inspired by the yachts that sail up and down the east coast, the back yard to this house. The way in which a yacht communicates with the changing elements by adjusting the sails, the rigging and the direction in which it is travelling is a direct response to the changing conditions. A distinct parallel can be drawn between the way in which this house communicates with its site and that of a yacht sailing on the ocean. The house was designed for a professional couple who work in the city but required a base for their activities in this tranquil beach side location. The brief for the project was quite simple transform an existing weekender into a permanent residence, improve visual and acoustic privacy, improve the environmental performance of the internal and external spaces, provide additional accommodation for guests and vehicle access and shelter on site. The steep site is located on the north side of a gully that overlooks the ocean, it is bisected by two natural watercourses and a steep rock shelf. The existing house was located at the rear of the site to maximise views and privacy. This situation was perfect for a weekender where privacy and seclusion were more critical than easy and regular access.
