Thinking outside the square is Glenn Sewell’s specialty.
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The Wagga designer won the Residential Building Designer of the year at the HIA Awards for his design at 16 Old Brewery Road Narrandera.
“The clients came to me with a unique site and brief,” Mr Sewell said.
“It had the three big things: flooding, bushfire and heritage.”
The site has significant historical value and the owners wanted to respectful of that.
“The best way to be respectful was to do something totally different to the brick tower,” Mr Sewell said.
The front the building is quite confronting and almost has a “fortress” look. This was to accommodate the client's request for the home to be private.
Once inside the home opens up thanks to the use of large double glazed windows and doors giving the owners a connection to the river and provides panoramic rural views.
A large timber deck connects the outdoor entertaining area to a private pool retreat, an ideal place to relax with extensive views.
The home blends in with the natural surroundings with materials like rustic steel cladding, textured concrete tilt panels and reclaimed timber.
The home is energy efficient thanks to environmentally sustainable design principles, energy efficient fixtures and fittings, a provision for future off the grid capability.
There are also water saving measures through water harvesting.
Mr Sewell loves the challenge of creating beautiful homes to fit unusual sites or briefs which is why he started his business specialising in bespoke building design, Sewell Design, in July 2011.
“We’re an enthusiastic design company,” Mr Sewell said.
“We design up to 50 buildings a year and they range from mum and dad four bedroom type home to jobs like this (16 Old Brewery Road Narrandera) to two-story homes.
“I enjoy challenging sites and different briefs.”
My motto is if I don’t know how it goes together I won’t design it
- Glenn Sewell
With a background in construction Mr Sewell has knowledge and insight in trade services, cost and effective design.
He has been designing homes for the past 19 years and is very practical when it comes to bringing the home together.
The team at Sewell Design includes Glenn Sewell and Danielle Baker with another member currently needed.