Architecture
Small Homes in Unexpected Places: Three Stories
Making do with what you've got can inspire serious creativity, as these three finalists in the 2023 Houses Awards show
As Australians grapple with an ongoing housing crisis and decent-sized blocks near transport and amenities become rarer than hen’s teeth, homes are starting to pop up in some highly unexpected places. In this year’s prestigious Houses Awards, the shortlisted homes include one above a garage, another in the basement of a heritage dwelling and a family home above running groundwater springs.
“This year the jury also saw creative examples of homes in unexpected, sometimes overlooked locations, including new housing on unconventional sites or in pockets of under-utilised space,” says Alexa Kempton, jury chair and editor of Houses magazine. Here, we step inside three of these innovative and intriguing abodes.
“This year the jury also saw creative examples of homes in unexpected, sometimes overlooked locations, including new housing on unconventional sites or in pockets of under-utilised space,” says Alexa Kempton, jury chair and editor of Houses magazine. Here, we step inside three of these innovative and intriguing abodes.
Today, Australian families are looking beyond purely functional living, growing increasingly interested in conjuring beautiful and varied environments to enjoy at home. Small-scale living must respond to this aspiration, as spaces used to house disparate moments of relaxation, contemplation and nourishment within a limited footprint.
Looking for an architect for your creative home project? Find one near you on Houzz
Looking for an architect for your creative home project? Find one near you on Houzz
A Swiss-army-knife of a solution to an ambitious brief, Studio Elroy offers a deeply sophisticated base that’s able to promote rest, relaxation, work and study. The self-contained apartment has ample space for storage and looks out to leafy views.
Due to the variety of functions that our program was asked to perform, the success of this project hinged (almost) precisely on the seamless integration of services, doors and junctions. We were spoilt by an enthusiastic builder and joiner. Their keen attention to detail and eagerness to explore the possibilities of their respective crafts guaranteed a result that all of Elroy’s collaborators could be equally proud of.
Due to the variety of functions that our program was asked to perform, the success of this project hinged (almost) precisely on the seamless integration of services, doors and junctions. We were spoilt by an enthusiastic builder and joiner. Their keen attention to detail and eagerness to explore the possibilities of their respective crafts guaranteed a result that all of Elroy’s collaborators could be equally proud of.
It was the apartment’s fold-down bed in particular that necessitated skilful resolution and articulate discussion. The queen-size platform can be swiftly tucked away, leaving few hints of its whereabouts between ribbed timber battens.
Architect: Licht Architecture
Project: Pop Top
Location: New Town, Tasmania
Photography: Adam Gibson
Shortlisted for: New House Under 200 square metres Award
Architect’s notes: On a tight suburban block, Pop Top is perched on top of an existing garage. Balancing spatial generosity in a small footprint, this project maintains the privacy and amenity of its occupants and neighbours.
Pop Top reflects the client’s personality – sophisticated and ready to host a party. The project utilises and builds upon an existing garage, providing a one-bedroom, one-bathroom residence. The existing double garage and new carport is a shadow underneath, allowing the crisp white addition to float above.
Project: Pop Top
Location: New Town, Tasmania
Photography: Adam Gibson
Shortlisted for: New House Under 200 square metres Award
Architect’s notes: On a tight suburban block, Pop Top is perched on top of an existing garage. Balancing spatial generosity in a small footprint, this project maintains the privacy and amenity of its occupants and neighbours.
Pop Top reflects the client’s personality – sophisticated and ready to host a party. The project utilises and builds upon an existing garage, providing a one-bedroom, one-bathroom residence. The existing double garage and new carport is a shadow underneath, allowing the crisp white addition to float above.
The interior offers a light-filled living space with a sculpted ceiling. The material palette is muted but softly textured. A high-level window in the kitchen draws your eye to the sky and lets in morning sun across the sculpted ceiling. Large sliding doors enable the kitchen space to open completely to the deck and passively cool the space. Fine aluminium window shrouds are painted in playful pastel pops of colour.
The kitchen joinery continues out onto the deck to provide a working edge and forming a flexible space for hosting barbecues, doing laundry or as an outdoor workspace.
Browse more images of clever and compact Australian kitchens on Houzz
The kitchen joinery continues out onto the deck to provide a working edge and forming a flexible space for hosting barbecues, doing laundry or as an outdoor workspace.
Browse more images of clever and compact Australian kitchens on Houzz
In contrast are moody, cavernous spaces for retreat in the bedroom and bathroom. An orange light well washes ever-changing light down into the bathroom space, transforming the space from morning to evening.
This project works hard to provide enjoyment through a sculpted internal ceiling, light and shadow throughout the day, pops of colour and framed views.
The client’s brief called for a light-filled space with views of kunanyi [Mount Wellington]. Shifting volume in the living space makes the room feel bigger than its footprint. Large sliding doors enable the deck space to blend into the interior. The ‘edges’ work hard in this design to offer clever integrated storage, incorporating study, linen, kitchen, laundry and barbecue zones. These walled edges also encourage users to turn and face the view.
This project works hard to provide enjoyment through a sculpted internal ceiling, light and shadow throughout the day, pops of colour and framed views.
The client’s brief called for a light-filled space with views of kunanyi [Mount Wellington]. Shifting volume in the living space makes the room feel bigger than its footprint. Large sliding doors enable the deck space to blend into the interior. The ‘edges’ work hard in this design to offer clever integrated storage, incorporating study, linen, kitchen, laundry and barbecue zones. These walled edges also encourage users to turn and face the view.
With two existing tenancies on site, a large shelter over the fence, and flanked by neighbours, Pop Top works hard to screen unwanted views and restrict overlooking. Carefully designed angled aluminium fin screens and picture windows edit the foreground, allowing focus to the mountain and treetops.
The aluminium screen runs partially across both levels to play with scale and provide a considered backdrop for the neighbour’s outdoor space that conceals the new living spaces of Pop Top above. A win for both tenants.
The design allows daylight and sun into the space, especially on cool Tasmanian days. External screens and balustrades are integrated, considered and offer wonderful privacy.
The aluminium screen runs partially across both levels to play with scale and provide a considered backdrop for the neighbour’s outdoor space that conceals the new living spaces of Pop Top above. A win for both tenants.
The design allows daylight and sun into the space, especially on cool Tasmanian days. External screens and balustrades are integrated, considered and offer wonderful privacy.
Architect: Western Architecture Studio
Project: Celilo Springs
Location: Mount Lawley, WA
Photography: Peter Bennetts
Shortlisted for: New House Under 200 square metres Award
Architect’s notes: Celilo Springs is a low-carbon house for a family of three in inner-city Perth. A house as a verandah, with no internal walls. On boards recovered from the historical local markets. Without window dressings or screens. Awash with diurnal light. Open to the breeze, and the noise of frogs and birds. Where occupation requires constant interaction with outdoors. A site planted with 200 Western Australian species; in coloured soils collected from around the state.
Project: Celilo Springs
Location: Mount Lawley, WA
Photography: Peter Bennetts
Shortlisted for: New House Under 200 square metres Award
Architect’s notes: Celilo Springs is a low-carbon house for a family of three in inner-city Perth. A house as a verandah, with no internal walls. On boards recovered from the historical local markets. Without window dressings or screens. Awash with diurnal light. Open to the breeze, and the noise of frogs and birds. Where occupation requires constant interaction with outdoors. A site planted with 200 Western Australian species; in coloured soils collected from around the state.
The prevailing site conditions for Celilo Springs were complicated: two natural surface-water springs, an eight-metre gradient differential from front to back, poor site access, multiple easements and a high water-table.
Consultation with allied disciplines was critical to overcome obstacles and ensure the building’s objectives. Among others, we worked directly with:
Consultation with allied disciplines was critical to overcome obstacles and ensure the building’s objectives. Among others, we worked directly with:
- Historian/curator to explore historical context and develop presentation strategies.
- Structural engineer and steel fabricator to develop assembly methods for difficult access.
- Mechanical engineer and an air-conditioning manufacturer to develop innovative air conditioning.
- Civil engineer and landscape architect to overcome ground-water challenges.
- Horticulturist and indoor plant consultant.
This house is about connecting people with their environment. The benefits of environmental and social connections have been thoroughly studied and show clear and substantial value. The core contribution comes from submersion in place. Other benefits include:
- Tighter relationships; the family does things together within the single living volume.
- Creates better communication by removing divisions between rooms.
- Diurnal sleep patterns due to natural light.
- Understanding seasonal changes and flowering colours.
- Teaches about frogs, birds and plants.
- Reduces financial pressures through low energy use and lowered mortgage.
- Stress reduction from the sound of water and breezes.
The house is comprised of distinct elements:
Forms move past one another, materials flow through glazing lines without breaks or frames. The definition of the building interior is deliberately fraught. Traditional rooms and layouts are broken down, internal walls have been removed, use is rationalised.
Building less because it is functionally efficient, has lower embodied CO2, less cost and more garden.
- A scattering of concrete sewer pipes that flow through the site.
- A floating, tent-like pyramid roof.
- A suspended verandah.
- A mass service block for services.
Forms move past one another, materials flow through glazing lines without breaks or frames. The definition of the building interior is deliberately fraught. Traditional rooms and layouts are broken down, internal walls have been removed, use is rationalised.
Building less because it is functionally efficient, has lower embodied CO2, less cost and more garden.
Winners of the Houses Awards 2023 will be announced on July 28.
Your turn
Which of these homes impresses you most? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to read about another clever design solution for a tricky site? Don’t miss this story – Tight Squeeze: A Genius Solution for a Narrow, Hemmed-In Site
Your turn
Which of these homes impresses you most? Tell us in the Comments below. And don’t forget to save these images, like this story and join the conversation.
More
Want to read about another clever design solution for a tricky site? Don’t miss this story – Tight Squeeze: A Genius Solution for a Narrow, Hemmed-In Site
Project: Studio Elroy
Location: Manly, NSW
Photography: Luc Rémond
Shortlisted for: Apartment or Unit Award
Architect’s notes: Crafted from the basement of a heritage building, Studio Elroy attests to the possibility of inspired living on a small scale.
Once a 26-square-metre services closet, our client sought a self-contained dwelling that accommodated a bed, home office, kitchen, living spaces, cellar and bathroom. In lieu of a view to a changing streetscape, time is marked inside by the painted and tiled surfaces that boast changing shades of salmon through to garnet as sunlight and shadows enchant the apartment.
Punctuated by ribbed batons, brass detailing and natural stone, a red historically bound to fire and brimstone finds a certain sincerity and resounding peace in this project.