Banded Prominence – The Eagle by Justin Humphrey Architects
Optimising its prominence on a corner allotment, The Eagle sits both proud and bold in its confident address to the street. Justin Humphrey Architects focuses on a banded and staged approach to disperse the overall form and propose a home that engages and embraces the natural elements.
In its residential setting, ensuring an appropriate response to context and scale was key, ensuring The Eagle became an extension of the formal language of its surroundings. Located in Burleigh Heads, the resulting home spans over multiple levels, and through a pushing and pulling of the outer elements of the façade, its overall dominance is reduced and articulated while retaining its presence. Wanting to breakdown the overall mass, horizontal bands are created that formalise and frame each of the levels. The glazing fronts are then pushed inward, giving a sense of relief from the outer edge of the site. Justin Humphrey Architects uses this formal approach as a means to create a rhythm and add structure to the interface between public and private realms, blurring lines while also ensuring the building remains sensitive to its environment.
Built by Burleigh Constructions and with landscape design by JSW Landscapes, The Eagle sits upon a concrete plinth as an anchored base for the home. A similar solid element is expressed at both the base of the first level and again at the roofline, signalling the horizontal nature of the slab as a highlighted element. The pushing back of the enclosed spaces creates a sense of privacy and allows the residents to carve their own retreat spaces, away from the street. Throughout, landscape plays a vital role in its integration. At each level, living elements soften the architectural edges and together with operable glazing, allowing the home to breathe and become naturally ventilated.
As a prelude to the intended sense of openness sits a central open light void that stretches both levels. The stair is positioned within the void, expressing the double-height space and encouraging movement and activity between the levels. With concrete as a heavy and weighted material, glass act as a counterbalance and is used liberally to enhance views and natural light. The use of textural and natural finishes such as timber add a warmth internally, while a mostly darkened palette sets the scene for the familiar sense of enclosure and protection found within the home.
