User:Mole69/Dalton House

Dalton House, Fig Tree Pocket
The Dalton House was designed in 1959 and built in 1960 this was one of the first homes Dalton developed and it was a home for himself and wife. Throughout this early period of his career, his designing skills are directly related to the plan. He elevated the plan form rather than to combine volumes. This can be seen with the heavy emphasis on the horizontal and through the use of continuous runs of windows. The proportions of this house are related to geometry and are actually proportions of the golden mean. It is square in plan and has a solid cubic appearance. This is a simple pavilion style of home with direct access from inside to the verandah and the garden. The roof is fitted with a water spray to cool its surface under extreme conditions and has a central clerestory vent to allow hot air to escape from the interior spaces. External adjustable blinds shade the verandah and glass walls. In addition the use of floor vents and a continuous aluminium grille at the eaves further embraced this relationship with climate. The house is slightly elevated by 150 mm providing sub floor ventilation whiles maintaining the connection of interior spaces to the ground. The house is also protected by the retained, large trees of the site. This house has now been listed as nationally significant by the AIA and has won numerous prizes.