The external look, materiality, textures and natural colours create a strong composition. The form resolves horizontally, with an undercroft expressed as a recessive base. The two storey residential ‘container’ appears buoyant above the undulating limestone landscape, differentiated with a sinuous stainless steel skin.
The original brief required a small house capturing the full potential of the elevated site. It required two bedrooms with ancillary spaces such as a study, gymnasium, library and a modest pool.
Breezes cool the dwelling in summer and glazed openings have overhangs resulting in minimal reliance on air conditioning. On-site electricity generation is via roof-mounted PV cells. Rainwater storage tanks are integrated into the slope. Sustainability is enhanced with Biomat to the upper ‘lightweight’ levels to maximise thermal inertia. Reclaimed Baltic Pine creates screening elements.
The result is a dwelling that extends the residential vocabulary of Fremantle and adds interest to the public domain.
