A resort-style home in Curtin is expected to break the sales record for the suburb when it goes under the hammer next month.
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The house at 28 James Street was designed by Jeremy Mather three years ago and features an in-ground lap pool, an outdoor entertaining area with built-in pizza oven, a designer kitchen and a stunning wood and frameless glass staircase.
It hit the market this week and is set to command attention given it won the Canberra Times People's Choice Award for Residential Architecture in the 2012 ACT Chapter Australian Institute of Architects Awards.
The awards entry for ''Curtin Ridge Residence'' included a brief that explained that the architectural philosophy was centred on creating a spacious home that integrated with and responded to the elevated sloping site and views across Canberra.
''The central linear lap pool acts as a focal point and controlling element of the design, which delivers a northern aspect for all the main living and sleeping areas while maximising the views across the valley,'' it said.
''The juxtaposition of cantilevering architectural elements and bold axial relationships complement the crisp contemporary quality of the fixtures, fittings and finishes of the interior.''
The four-bedroom house incorporates environmentally sustainable initiatives including cross-flow ventilation, double glazing and a 20,000-litre underground rainwater tank for irrigation and toilet flushing.
The home will be auctioned on August 16 and is expected to top the previous highest sales price for Curtin of $1.6 million, fetched in June 2010 by a renovated property at 100 Dunstan Street.
The James Street property is owned by sportsman-turned-real estate agent Brett Hayman, who began working for Peter Blackshaw during his elite rowing career when he was at the Australian Institute of Sport.
He became a full-time agent following the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he won a silver medal as part of the men's eight.
Mr Hayman said his family had lived in the original home for about a year before deciding to complete a knock-down rebuild instead of a renovation.
He wanted to maximise the views across the Woden Valley to Parliament House and Black Mountain and design the house so the children could always be seen in the pool.
Mr Hayman said the family had enjoyed the views, the outside areas and the tiled pool, which really was a standout feature of the home.
''James Street would have the best views in Curtin by a long way – it's a hidden gem,'' he said.
Other features of the home include a variety of outdoor spaces such as a large paved courtyard area adjoining the rumpus room, an elevated terrace with stunning views opening from the lounge room and a covered rear terrace beside the pool – which is gas and solar heated.
The rear outside area has a kitchen, dishwasher, barbecue, pizza oven, inbuilt speakers and a stone fireplace.
The house has a four-car garage, a wine cellar, a home office and an elevator to all living areas.
The gardens have been professionally designed and landscaped and have dry laid rock walls and stairs.