4 Braywick Avenue, Jacks Hill, Jamaica

Designed as a colonial great house, this building was positioned on the site to benefit from the lengthy approach from the road. This gives the building prominence on the site, and takes full advantage of the site’s elevation.
The main living space opens onto generous verandas along the southern elevation, which provide protection from the solar exposure.
All other window openings are protected with double-glazed sash (double hung) windows.

Airflow is encouraged by positioning openings opposite or perpendicular to each other.

The client’s requirements are met in a simple but formal ground floor axial plan. With services being provided in the adjacent annex built along the eastern boundary, the spectacular city view is made more enjoyable with alternate verandas on the first floor and ground floor.

The structure is built with 8” concrete blocks for improved insulation, while the external ground floor surface is finished with brick, providing further insulation and low maintenance. The first floor block walls have been finished (externally) with treated lap timber siding. The roof is Maxishingle, which offers the latest in fireproof technology while maintaining the appearance of rustic shingles.

The result— the illusion of an old great house that has unsuspecting visitors congratulating the owner on a fine restoration job. (We won’t tell).