Ellen House
Designers
Ngaire & Peter Ellen
Designed
1962
Civil Structural Engineer
Peter Ellen
Landscaping
Ngaire Ellen
Construction Manager
Peter Ellen
Location
Turramurra, Sydney's Upper North Shore
Specification
4 Bed, 3 Bath, 2 Car (carport) & large Office/Rumpus or convert to S/C Apartment
Program
Two-storey, freestanding U-shaped house around central courtyard
Photography
© Aimee Crouch
Dusk Photography
© Tamara Graham
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Introduction
Not many houses can lay claim to being a ‘first’. It is believed that Ellen House on Sydney’s Upper North Shore is almost certainly Australia’s first lift-slab house. This comes as no surprise as the designer and engineer of the house, Peter Ellen was a radical structural and civil engineer, who became internationally known for his inventive innovative solutions – domed concrete moon structures for NASA, commercial high rise and big space industrial buildings across Asia and South America, the concrete hull of the 1973 Sydney to Hobart winner and record holder, Helsal.
Pushing the limits of reinforced concrete, often using ferro-cement construction, lift-slab technology, concrete materials composition, and post tensioned concrete design and construction was the life and work of Peter Ellen. His own house was an early example but unique in that it was a joint project with his wife, Ngaire. Together they designed, sculpted and crafted a light filled family home and garden amongst the trees that is a first-class example of the era – a home that continues to surprise and delight every day.
“With the mind of an engineer and the eye of an architect, Ellen House is a masterclass in construction, spatial planning and optimising a northerly aspect.”
The Design
On the edge of the bush in Turramurra, within walking distance of the station, lies part of a subdivision developed in the early 1960s. Scattered along one street are textbook examples of some of the most innovative houses of the day. Alongside these is one which fits comfortably into the general scheme, but is very different from its neighbours.
Indeed, it is unlike any other house in Sydney – the four-bedroomed house with self-contained studio embraces modernist principles while employing inventive and unconventional construction techniques. But at the same time, it uses modest materials such as Besser block in an unexpected way, and is utterly considered in all aspects of its design, from its focus on, at one level, the minutiae of day-to-day family life, gradually working outwards to the surrounding environment, the natural conditions, the path of the sun. The result is a house that’s both nurturing and exhilarating, highly liveable and enduring in its design.
The U-shaped house, built around a central courtyard, was designed in 1962 for his young family by Peter Ellen, a structural and civil engineer from New Zealand. He had a fascination for materials, particularly steel and concrete, and how they could be pushed to the limit. At the time, fairly newly arrived in Sydney to teach at the University of New South Wales, he was more used to constructing bridges and roads for earthquake conditions.
The open plan area can be divided in two via floor-to-ceiling curtains. The more formal living/dining section, with its gently arched ceiling and Besser block feature wall, is where Peter Ellen’s fascination with materials and structure can be seen most clearly. On the other hand, Ngaire Ellen’s influence is on view more in the rest of the open-plan space, including the family area, which includes a work desk, built-in cabinetry and window seat, with storage. She was insistent the kitchen not be separated from the rest of the living area – a reasonably unusual approach at the time. Equally, she wanted a dynamic family area – one in which she could be working at the built-in table and the children could be doing homework nearby.
Later, Peter Ellen would be involved in everything from the design of high-rise towers in Hong Kong to the Sydney-to-Hobart-winning yacht, Helsal, and even lunar structures for NASA – this was a man who was so unconventional in his ways of thinking, yet meticulous in his attention to detail, curious about the world at large and so committed to the advancement of design. Compromise and settling on anything less than perfection were anathema to him.
Peter’s wife, Ngaire, a schoolteacher, who had very strong ideas of her own and a highly developed sense of aesthetics, was closely involved in the design of the house at Turramurra – it was very much a joint project.
The first view of the house gives a foretaste of its unusual character and Peter Ellen’s thoughtful attention to its surroundings. Long and low to the street, it incorporates a feature wall of Besser block, laid in such a way as to form shadows, changing dramatically throughout the day. Step into the light-filled interior, with sightlines directed to the central courtyard as well as borrowed views of the bushland beyond, and his consideration of the environment and its effect on daily life becomes obvious.
To the left of the front door lies the expansive open-plan living/dining/family area/kitchen, which has floor-to-ceiling windows opening to a substantial deck facing towards the bush. Straight-on is to the central courtyard, and right to the bedrooms. Downstairs, accessible both via a stairway from the hallway and from outside, is a large office/rumpus that could be reimagined as a self-contained apartment.
Having not been in Australia long before designing the house, Peter Ellen had to understand Sydney’s climate and weather, which were so different from conditions in New Zealand. At a time when principles of passive solar design were not generally adhered to, he approached this in his characteristically methodical and meticulous way, interrogating the CSIRO on the angles of the sun throughout the year so he could orientate the house optimally, design suitable eaves for it and incorporate sun traps throughout the property.
The cabinet by the window seat contains the sound system and television – a piece of equipment Ngaire strongly believed should not be permanently on view.
It’s beyond this area, though, that Ngaire’s most surprising contribution to the design is revealed. It’s the laundry, to the right of the front door and heading towards the wing containing the four bedrooms. Rather than being hidden away, it’s at the centre of the house, with a large opening onto the corridor for clothes to be tossed through and for direct views to the Japanese-inspired courtyard (the couple had a great love for Japan, and would have lived there if it had been possible).
Even in the courtyard, Peter Ellen’s interest in modest materials and passive solar principles can be seen – the eaves have been rhythmically punctuated with skylights formed out of concrete piping.
The main bedroom, at one end of the U, opens to the courtyard; built-in cabinetry and shelving in the bedrooms, as throughout the house, is of such high quality that it is still in excellent condition more than 60 years after it was so lovingly and meticulously designed.
We look forward to welcoming you to a home that will instantly feel like home.
“We love the extensive use of cornerless windows throughout the main spaces – timeless and beautiful.”
Floor Plan
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Specifications
Address
16 Cornwall Ave, Turramurra NSW 2074
Specification
4 Bed, 3 Bath, 2 Car (carport) & large Office/Rumpus or convert to S/C Apt
Approx. gross internal living area:
188 sq m (2,024 sq ft)
Approx. gross land area:
923.2 sq m (9,937 sq ft)
Environmental
Designed with passive design principles
NE to NW orientation to principal living spaces (indoor & outdoor)
Wide eaves to to protect from solar gain in summer
Minimal southerly exposure
Efficient cross ventilation
Water capture on roof to stabilise thermal mass and reflect solar
Split air-con, main living and main bedroom
Native vegetation and low water-use plantings
For Sale by Private Treaty
Price Guide: $2.8M to $2.95M
View by Appointment
Please call:
National: 1300 814 768
International: +61 2 8014 5363
Location
Turramurra, located on Sydney’s Upper North Shore, is a suburb known for its natural beauty, established community, and accessible location. It offers a quiet, residential atmosphere with easy access to both the city and natural attractions.
The suburb is surrounded by significant green spaces, including Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Lane Cove National Park, making it a favourable location for those who enjoy outdoor activities like hiking and birdwatching. Local parks and reserves within Turramurra provide additional areas for recreation and relaxation.
Turramurra is well-served by essential amenities. The suburb has several schools, both public and private, which are recognised for their academic standards. This makes Turramurra a practical choice for families prioritizing education. Local shopping options are available, with a mix of small businesses and larger retailers, ensuring residents have convenient access to daily necessities.
Travel times to Sydney CBD from Turramurra are generally reasonable. By car, the journey can take between 30 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. Public transport is a viable alternative, with Turramurra railway station offering regular train services. The train journey to the CBD takes about 30 minutes, providing a reliable commuting option.
Turramurra is also well-positioned for access to Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Driving to popular beach areas like Dee Why or Narrabeen typically takes around 35 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic. This proximity to both the coast and the city makes Turramurra a versatile base for various lifestyles.
In summary, Turramurra offers a balance of natural surroundings, community amenities, and accessibility to both Sydney CBD and the Northern Beaches. It provides a stable and peaceful residential environment, suitable for those seeking a suburban lifestyle with convenient access to urban and coastal areas.
Photo: West Head Beach, Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park
“Turramurra is an ideal location for those seeking a suburban lifestyle with convenient access to the city and the coast.”
Construction: Summary
Peter Ellen was both inventive and meticulous in all areas of his work. In the design and construction of the house for his family, he was innovative in his approach, but with the absolute attention to detail of an engineer. Coming from New Zealand, where the emphasis was on structural rigidity for earthquake conditions, he used a similar approach for the Turramurra house, with the main construction being a concrete raft floor slab resting on the ground. With this type of construction, if any part of the ground subsides, the raft floor always remains intact.
Nine columns were piled, and once the floor slab was constructed in its entirety, including the balconies, the roof was cast on top of the raft floor slab. The dome of the roof was formed on a mound of earth from the site, and ferro-cement sprayed to create what would become the ceiling. Steel bars were bent to the dome form, and sprayed again to fill and form what would become the roof side of the structure. When these two major components were complete, the columns and posts were extended and climbing jacks placed on top of these. The roof was then lifted into place via the jacks, a technique that Ellen adapted from a process he had first hand knowledge of from his time working in New Zealand. The roof is self-supporting for earthquake loads. The walls were then cast on the raft floor slab and tilted up to their final position under the roof slab, with windows, timber panelling, aluminium framing and Besser block placed accordingly. The internals of the house were then finished. External walls of the house are partly load bearing, but no internal walls are, which allowed for flexibility of the layout.
Peter Ellen's Drawings
For Sale by Private Treaty
Price Guide: $2.8M to $2.95M
View by Appointment
Please call:
National: 1300 814 768
International: +61 2 8014 5363