Morrison

"Ken wanted to go with someone who could deliver sustainability and we just got thinking about what could be done," Madi says.

"The top bedroom has been transformed by one window. It is one simple change that makes is look completely different."

"What good design can do is to make a small space feel really large so you do not have to use so many materials to create a space. The you just make it flexible and well loved so it will be cared for."

The large terrace house sat in the south east corner of a lovely double block, with garden space dropping away to the north and west, nurturing a 100 year old lime tree. The small service rooms (kitchen, laundry and bathroom) to the rear of the main section of house were in original cramped condition and did not connect well to the garden or to the front living rooms. The upstairs bathroom and bedrooms needed attention, as did the structural integrity of the walls.

The main part of the brief was to provide a kitchen that worked well as part of larger open plan living spaces, which in turn connected with external decks and the garden. A carport space that could open up and double as covered outside play area was also on the list of must haves.

The approach to solving the brief was to extend the kitchen area to the north, enabling it to open east to the existing dining room and west to a new covered deck. This solution now provides a variety of spaces that have different thermal responses for different times of the day and year. The thermal mass of the existing terrace provides a cool place to be in summer, and the new well insulated living room with operable windows and variable shading can be adjusted to suit the climate throughout the year.

While opening up the house physically and visually to achieve the brief, we also ensured the rooms could be separated from each other to provide essential thermal and acoustic isolation when required.

The new deck with adjustable louvre roof provides a wonderful extension of the living room, allowing a great connection with the garden for much of the year and invaluable protection from the west in summer. The deck has been designed to gently step down through usable spaces to the garden, providing a virtual amphitheatre on the way.

The covered carport on the eastern boundary gives valuable off street parking that can easily be converted for use as extra entertaining space when required.

Caroline Pidcock
Mittul Shah 
Katie Fincher
Kitty Nghiem
Megan Watson

Builder                        Manik Constructions
Structural Engineer    Partridge Partners
Landscape Architect  Aspect + Pepolo
Photographer             Sue Stubbs

Simple and intuitive methods for operating the house
Provision of home office facilities
Location of house near local facilities
Food composting facilities
Convenient location of storage space for recycling
Convenient storage for bicycles to encourage use
Car parking area able to be easily converted for other uses

Good thermal performance of house
Good natural light and ventilation
Good views to the outside
Natural oils finish for timber floors throughout house
Low VOC paints

Improved thermal performance to result in minimal heating and cooling
Improved levels of insulation
Ability to zone areas of the house
Ceiling fans to bedrooms and living rooms
Improved natural ventilation throughout house
Improved natural light throughout house
Low energy lighting using fluorescents and LEDs
Solar hot water heating
House wired for future installation of photo voltaics for energy generation
Convenient, dedicated, sunny area for drying clothes with line designed as piece of sculpture

High performance water saving fixtures and appliances
Low water garden
4600 litre bladder under new deck connected to toilets, washing machine and landscape

Materials selected with thought given to reducing their impacts over their life
House designed to easily adapt to changing family lifestyles
Retention and extension of life for existing building and its materials
Timber from sustainably managed forests framed windows and doors
Timber from sustainably managed forests for new floor boards and decking

Size of project purposefully kept to the smallest possible
Built-on area kept to a minimum
Land used for building improved by project
Garden design to enhance local ecosystems and encourage local flora and fauna
Garden design inherent to house design  
Inclusion of food plants to help provide for family
Connection of living areas to garden to assist in better care