Palmyra, Kangaroo Valley by TURNER | Images: Tom Ferguson

TURNER STUDIO

This month TURNER takes us to their idyllic Palmyra project, located in Kangaroo Valley. For TURNER, design is for everyone. Their strong ethos and design sensibilities enhance the experience of people and communities, as seen in the refined material palette and punctuating views out to rugged bushland.

Tell us about your practice

TURNER is a multi award-winning design studio specialising in architecture, urban design, interiors and experiential design. We create living, working and hospitality spaces that revive communities in Sydney and beyond.

How would you describe your style and design principles?

At TURNER, we believe design is for everyone. Our extensive body of projects is evolving as we continue to use design to drive positive change. Our designs, beyond everything, are there to enhance the experience for people and communities.

What is your favourite material to design and work with at the moment?

Our material choices are not predetermined, rather, they stem from the project brief, site context, program and typology. We strive to use natural materials that authentically express their function, enhance the experience of the user, and reduce ongoing maintenance.

What is a staple material or product in all your designs?

There isn’t one material that we use across the board, but we do try to celebrate natural materials that are true to their application, and make selections where the material’s form complements its function.

Tell us about the project you've submitted.

Palmyra is an extension to a home in the Kangaroo Valley.

The additions of Palmyra stem from the pragmatic requirements of a growing family. The topography informed the decision to design an extension to an existing home, one that wasn’t the obvious elongation of what was an existing copper-clad box. Instead, we created a new form, grounded in the landscape in dialogue with its partner, whilst being distinct in its own character.

The site is surrounded by bushland in rugged terrain, with sweeping views of Kangaroo Valley. Openings of various proportions frame a variety of views. The addition houses extra bedrooms, living, and amenity spaces that supplement and complement the existing house.

A refined palette of building materials including off-form concrete, face brickwork, copper, and timber, are left exposed for their inherent beauty and texture. The external skin forms the internal lining.

Sustainable technologies adopted include an integrated geothermal heat exchange system for heating, ventilating, cooling, hydronics and potable hot water, rainwater harvesting, a 27 KW solar array and a green roof. Palmyra is a self-sustainable prototype of a remote home, that is off grid.

What is your favourite aspect of the project?

The way that the living room, central rainforest garden, and outdoor pool courtyard can be used as individual spaces or opened and connected to form one contiguous space. It enhances the living opportunities and connects the surrounding environment with the home.

Were there any new products or construction techniques in this project that you have not used previously?

We explored new ways for the copper to be used for stair risers, internal textured cladding, and fine highlight detailing to connect back to the copper clad original house.

What were day-to-day challenges did you experience?

Consistency in the brick quality and ensuring all the material zones were properly set out to ensure the intended seamless detailing of all the connections of key elements.

What are you most proud of with this project?

That we allowed the topography to drive a character change from that of the original house: the original house hovered over the landscape, the extension emerges from the landscape.

What do you love most about your Built Environment Channel screen, and why?

The Built Environment Channel screen is a great opportunity to bring fresh ideas and knowledge into the studio. We enjoy seeing other people’s designs and thoughts, and it’s an accessible way of staying up-to-date with what's happening in the industry.

Learn more about TURNER