Briefs Become Solutions
Greenwood Collection
Design eight townhouses on a sloping site that offers district views to the south while respecting and celebrating the sense of place. Located in Willoughby, the brief was therefore challenging, the suburb being characterised by its longstanding history and lush streets adorned by native and deciduous trees.
Country
Type
Client
Status
Awards
Gamaragal
Medium Density Housing
Metro Property Development
Completed 2024
Briefs Become Solutions
Designed to evolve
Not only did the site slope significantly, but it sloped away from the sun. Yet, the problem-solvers in us saw this as an opportunity.
We proposed two lateral rows of houses with ‘through’ living spaces and terraces on multiple levels, tumbling down the slope – engaging with the solar access to the north and the views to the south. Benching into the site enables four storeys within a height control that would usually permit three. We also made the sloping site fully accessible by employing an external stair and lift for easy access from the street to all dwellings.
Softening the architecture into the mature, native landscaping, the townhouses blend into the leafy streetscape, while timeless materials such as brick, used in a contemporary manner, mean the building also blends into the locale’s built vernacular.
Positive Impact
The houses are flexible and adaptable – some houses enable a ‘flex’ space that can be utilised as a gym, home office, sauna or for yoga – while adaptable living caters for a diverse range of residents and facilitates aging in place, contributing to a harmonious and inclusive community.
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