In approaching the design of a single storey house on a relatively small block in Yarralumla the key design determinants relate to site levels, a dominant existing tree at the rear, a problematic driveway location, the street context and energy efficiency principles. Address of these largely functional performance issues form a key part of the conceptual framework and philosophy behind the design.
A very large deciduous tree dominates the rear; its root system dictated levels and generated a gentle lifting of the street elevation. This enabled a sense of layering and cantilevering to be expressed while still retaining the essential rhythm and proportions of the street. The composition of horizontal and vertical planes is detailed with an intention to give certain elements of building a ‘floating’ quality.
The clients are keen gardeners. The relationship from inside and out addresses a fundamental rof the brief and its realization. The main living area at the rear is addressed by wide corridor and leads on to what is essentially an outdoor room whose roof is the existing tree. The clients being of retirement age suggests occupation more comprehensively during the day and as a consequence an emphasis on private northern spaces is heightened.
