Emma Smales
The site is small, 100 square metres less than the minimum ‘single unit site’ under the proposed unitary plan. The site opens to a northern harbour view at the street frontage, engaging the public spaces of the house in a dialogue with the street.
Given the small site and restricted budget, DMA was encouraged to develop strategies to optimise space and to double up on function where possible. The client was interested in exploring a sustainable driven design approach, harvesting rainwater and the re-use of building materials such as the ‘brick and tile’ that originally stood on the site.
A simple family home of modest materiality and expressive of structural intent. The slippage between the lower and upper forms provides opportunities for engagement and retreat from the public domain of the inner city suburb. The layering of landscape form frames the surrounding environment.