Executive Staff Housing
Commissioned by a Council, Vernon Design Group was tasked with developing a site into staff housing, which was previously used as a Child Health Clinic. Our design brief was to maximise the site to gain the highest number of housing units possible while achieving a high degree of amenity that suited the lifestyle of residents in Newman. From this we developed a mix of housing types, ranging from two to four bedroom dwellings, with a number of consultant dwellings for short stay accommodation. The consultant dwellings we proposed proved to be a great success, to the point where they attracted funding from organisations within the area.
One of the unique challenges for the housing was keeping the building costs down, as construction projects are twice as expensive compared to typical Perth prices. As a result, we proposed a two storey modular system. This allowed construction to occur in Perth and then transported to Newman, ultimately making considerable construction savings and increasing the speed of the project.
Duplex Redevelopment
This suburban duplex redevelopment project was staged dependent on client funding and their desire to act as the owner builder. As a result, the client would live in one house while the other was being altered.
The concept evolved over time as the client reflected on the design at various stages. Initially the second storey addition was to extend mainly over the existing footprint, plus ground floor addition areas. Essentially, however, the existing structures were to be maintained as much as possible. The result was an executive home design with traditional structural elements. Within this design there were also a number of key landscaping elements to develop a sense of place, relaxation and grandeur, along with providing more practical features such as shading.
Upon reflection, the client desired to further expand the house and not be limited by the existing site elements. Given this new set of requirements and alterations to the site, the subject house was redesigned and developed into an executive residence with a contemporary modernist style that achieved the lifestyle the clients desired.
West Timor Orphanage
As one of our philanthropy projects we provided design support for a Church associated with Victory Life International. The project was for a Pastor who was supporting up to 18 orphans living in outbuildings on his property. While visiting West Timor, we observed the living conditions and climate and how this influenced their lifestyle. As a result, we developed an Urban and Building Design Concept based on their needs, local construction techniques and materials.
The parcel of land identified for the Orphanage was located in close proximity to the Pastor’s house, and as a result, he was able to continue managing the operation of the orphanage. This also gave the Pastor and his wife the ability to transport the children to school via a bus, thus allowing them to continue their education while having the support and facilities to become adults.