Shrouded House is, at its heart, a house for a maturing family, designed to accommodate the clients and their teenage children in multiple modes of occupation – as individuals, as a family unit, or with extended family and friends – with equal ease.
The house continues BKKs investigations in spatial syntax. Our designs prioritise liveability and the space ‘between’ rather than ‘architecture as object’. The intersection of landscape and built form are of high importance, the careful design of which, facilitates a seamless flow of space and human interaction between inside and out. The considered manipulation of boundaries creates a dynamism that both energises and prioritises use. The new house has the same internal area as its predecessor (a Californian bungalow), but occupies half the site area allowing for greater utilisation of outdoor space and new solar orientation to all living spaces.
Natural light is of central importance in this home, minimising reliance on artificial lighting. Large windows to exterior rooms are complemented by skylights to circulation spaces and the ensuite bathroom. The ground floor slab provides critical thermal mass enabled by the large north-facing windows. A balance between ventilation, insulation and air-tightness is also a key consideration; the house is comfortable in all seasons with only minimal heating or cooling. The principal materials are sustainable, durable and locally-sourced (for example, the radial sawn timber to the exterior).
Location
Armadale Vic Australia
Completion Date
2017
Photographer:
Peter Bennetts
Next Residential Project:
Split House