Ball House
Architect
Fisher Jackson Hudson
Designed and Built
1971 – 1973
Design Architect
Peter Hudson
Builder
T. Salamacha
Additions
Andrew Conacher
Location
Mangerton, Wollongong NSW 2500
Program
Two north facing pavilions set on a sloping site, joined by a central stair, plus s/c studio over garage
Specification
4 Bed, 2.5 Bath, Home Office, 2 Car (garaged) + 1 Bed, 1 Bath s/c Studio
Photographer
© Aimee Crouch
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Introduction
Within walking distance of the centre of Wollongong, on a quiet street in the coveted inner-city suburb of Mangerton, sits a house, built in 1972, that fits firmly within the innovative and sensitive architecture of its day, with its emphasis on a limited palette of natural materials, passive solar principles and celebration of the surrounding topography and the endemic vegetation.
A four-bedroom north-facing house, with a home office and separate self-contained studio, the Ball House was designed by Fisher Jackson Hudson Architects, with careful additions by heritage architect (and second owner of the house) Andrew Conacher.
“It tiptoes down the hill, stepping lightly around sleepy blackbutts and a variety of sheltered outdoor spaces.”
The Design
From the street, all that is visible of the house is a carport and, over the garage, the Conacher-designed studio, which contains open-plan living/kitchen/bedroom, plus bathroom.
There is no hint that beyond lies a house that, essentially made up of two pavilions, faces north to capture the best light possible, closely follows the contours of the sloping bush block, and has been designed to delicately sidestep the existing native blackbutt trees.
The view from the front door reveals the essential nature of the house, with a central Meranti timber stair that gently but dramatically leads from the main pavilion to the one below. Rooms, with Radiata Pine ceilings, pivot off along the way, indicated by landing areas that create pause points up and down the stairs.
From the entrance foyer, there is a powder room and guest bedroom to the left, with floor-to-ceiling north-facing windows overlooking a sheltered courtyard. To the right is the Mountain Ash and stainless steel kitchen, in excellent condition, with a floor-to-ceiling east-facing window capturing bush views and morning light. Adjoining the kitchen, separated by an island bench, is a dining area, with walls of warm brick and shiplap Mountain Ash, and plentiful built-in storage.
Below the dining area, down a few steps, is the main living area, also accessed by the central stair. It’s in here that the ambitious and thoughtful design of the house can be experienced in a concentrated way, with its feature wall of Mountain Ash shiplap, built-in cabinetry, expanse of north-facing floor-to-ceiling Stegbar windows (originally designed by Robin Boyd) looking north over the garden and bush, and intimate sightline to the sheltered courtyard on the other side of the central stair.
A few more steps on the central stair lead down to the main bedroom, to the left, which has an en suite bathroom and outlook over the courtyard in one direction and the rear garden through the main north facing window.
The second pavilion, separated from the main part of the house by a run of stairs, consists of a large rumpus room, which opens to a secluded courtyard, bathroom and two north-facing bedrooms.
On the lower level a separate workspace, an addition by Andrew Conacher and generous in size, has a bank of north-facing windows looking out to the garden and bush and is entered, ingeniously, via a trapdoor from the rumpus room or from a door below the raised triangular deck.
Storage is plentiful throughout the house, including in the separate studio and, beneath the main house, in the laundry and wine cellar.
Little is known today about the wider body of work of Fisher Jackson Hudson, so it’s difficult to say whether the Ball House is typical of their work. What is certain is that Ball House is an exceptional example of passive solar design principles, one that has been built to an exacting standard, set by a design team who collectively were highly influential in the formation and advocacy of the pioneering heritage organisations of NSW.
In the years around the time the practice was designing it, principal John Fisher was also involved in significant heritage projects in New South Wales, including the preservation of Rouse Hill House and the restoration of Glenalvon in Campbelltown and Elizabeth Bay House. It seems fitting that the Ball House, with only three sets of owners in its 50-year history, is still in excellent original condition, a testament to the attention to detail in the build and sensitivity, appropriateness and enduring quality of its design.
Floor Plan
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Specifications
Address
26 Norman St, Mangerton NSW 2500
Building Program
Two north facing pavilions set on a sloping site, joined by a central stair, plus s/c studio over garage
Specification
4 Bed, 2.5 Bath, Home Office, 2 Car (garaged) + 1 Bed, 1 Bath s/c Studio
House Internal area (approx.)
161 sq m / 1,733 sq ft
Garage Internal area (approx.)
32 sq m / 344 sq ft
s/c Studio Internal area (approx.)
42 sq m / 452 sq ft
Total Internal area (approx.)
235 sq m / 2,530 sq ft
Land area (approx.)
695.6 sq m (7,487 sq ft)
Environmental + Structure
Environmentally designed to maximise orientation
North facing to all living spaces
Protected from the Southerlies
Design allows warming winter sun, protects fron summer sun
Passive heating and cooling
Cross ventilation and clerestory vents
Double brick with concrete footings
Endemic vegetation & majestic trees
View by Appointment
Marcus Lloyd-Jones
Modern House Estate Agents
Mobile: 0424 00 55 31
National: 1300 814 768
International: +61 2 8014 5363
Email: viewings@modernhouse.co
For Sale
Private Treaty (not Auction)
We look forward to welcoming you
to the house
Saturdays: by Appointment
Location
Norman Street and Eastern Avenue are regarded as the best streets in Mangerton, a coveted suburb on the edges of the Wollongong CBD. Less than four minutes from the CBD, Mangerton offers a hidden, leafy bushland feel with direct access to the freeway to Sydney. It boasts The Illawarra Grammar School, the best private school in the region, and top-performing state schools.
Mangerton and its surrounds have lush green spaces, including Mangerton Park and the Wollongong Botanic Garden. The suburb is a few minutes’ drive from the Wollongong CBD and about four minutes from the train station, providing easy access to Sydney. The distance between Wollongong and Sydney is approximately 82 kilometers (51 miles). By train, the travel time is around 1 hour and 25 to 45 minutes, while by car, it typically takes about 1 hour and 20 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.
Wollongong is known for being ‘between the escarpment and the ocean’. And the house sits equally between the national parks of the escarpment and beautiful beaches all along the coast – the best of the bush and the beach. Mount Keira Ring Track, the Blue Mile and North Wollongong Beach are stunning and less than 10 minutes away. (and miles away from the Sydney crowds!)
In summary, Mangerton combines a tranquil, green setting with excellent accessibility to urban amenities, making it a desirable location for families and professionals.
Sea Cliff Bridge, Credit: Wollongong City Council
Wollongong Botanic Garden, Credit: Wollongong City Council
Architect
Fisher Jackson Hudson Architects, with principals John Fisher, Noel Jackson and Peter Hudson, designed the Ball House. Peter Hudson’s own house, in Turramurra, was featured in an edition of Belle magazine, around 1970, and seen by Judith Ball, who commissioned the practice to design her family’s house in Mangerton.
From his early days as an architect, John Fisher was instrumental in the heritage movement, sitting on the first Council of the National Trust in NSW after it reformed in 1960. He was the first chair of its Historic Buildings Committee – other members at the time included Leslie Wilkinson and Rachel Roxburgh. Later, he worked with Clive Lucas, currently one of Australia’s foremost heritage architects.
John Fisher also played a major part in the recognition of The Rocks in the late 1950s, a time when it was at risk of being redeveloped. In the late 1960s, he chaired the Rouse Hill House Preservation Committee, which set about saving the important Australian Georgian house near Windsor, which is now part of Museums of History NSW.
Around the same time, and through the State Planning Authority, he restored five historic houses in Campbelltown, including Glenalvon, a colonial Georgian house built in 1841. This led to his commission to restore Elizabeth Bay House – from this, the Historic Houses Trust (now Museums of History NSW) was formed in 1980.
From 1974–76, John Fisher was president of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects (NSW Chapter).
Research is ongoing into the practice and the work of the other principals.
Architect's Drawings
View by Appointment
Marcus Lloyd-Jones
Modern House Estate Agents
Mobile: 0424 00 55 31
National: 1300 814 768
International: +61 2 8014 5363
Email: viewings@modernhouse.co
For Sale
Private Treaty (not Auction)
We look forward to welcoming you
to the house
Saturdays: by Appointment
“An absolute paradise for free range kids and a quiet sanctuary if you’re working at home. Every day is magic. ”