Voids and solids are juxtaposed to great effect in this North Perth home offering stunning street appeal.
The owner wanted a house with an open plan living, dining and kitchen area capable of being used for entertainment. Being a small block, the house needed to maximise the land area and include at least two bedrooms, a double garage, low maintenance garden and swimming pool.
A modern contemporary look with clean-cut lines was requested - minimalist but with a degree of warmth.
The internal layout is a response to the combination of site conditions (location of adjacent buildings, site orientation, existing services, sewer location etc) and the owner’s request list. A mains sewer running across the rear limited the extent at which the house and fixed structures could be built.
Site and environmental conditions made the west of the block more suitable to accommodate services, enabling the north and east to be used for living and entertainment spaces. Hence the garage, kitchen and laundry are located on the ground floor at the south and west sides of the building, while open plan living areas look onto the courtyard and swimming pool.
A double-storey void amply defines the entry leading into the open plan kitchen, dining and living area. Within this open space subtle techniques have been used to define the areas – a drop ceiling highlights the kitchen while a large fixed clear piece of glazing overlooking the pool helps distinguish the dining area. On the north end of this open space, stackable doors open into a covered verandah and north-facing backyard. When opened the stackable doors seamlessly extend the living space, functioning well for parties and gatherings by bringing the inside out and outside in.
A lap pool features along the east side of the house. Low-level windows visually connect the pool to the inside of the house, extending the internal floor area. During the day the pool water reflects onto the internal ceiling and in the evening the pool lights create a subtle glow at the bottom of the wall when viewed from inside.
The first floor offers two bedrooms, a study and two bathrooms. The master bedroom occupies the southern end of this floor with a sliding glazed door opening onto a street front balcony. A second bedroom, bathroom and study (which can be
easily converted into a third bedroom) occupy the rest of the floor.
With the service-oriented rooms occupying the west side of the house on both levels, the northern and eastern sides have large openings for solar gain in winter.
Morning sun streams into the house, making the kitchen and dining area fantastic for breakfast. Concealed vertical blinds can be used for sun control and privacy when required.The west wall has minimal openings to keep out the hot afternoon sun.
A perforated metal garage door facilitates cross ventilation through the house while an internal aluminium louvre and voids facilitate cross ventilation between rooms and between floors.
