House in Kew

This is a new build situated on an existing subdivided tennis court, set into a sloping plot. The brief requested garages, a master bedroom, living spaces, and a study – all on the same level. (Access by car only led to an elevated area above the court, which is set into the terrain.)

Relationship to Site and Context
The boundary of the plot extends 2 to 3 meters beyond the fence delineating the perimeter of a typical tennis court. The site falls within a protected zone of the city of Boroondara, where building height is regulated to a maximum of 6 meters. The house responds in a specific manner to all cardinal directions: To the north, the land drops sharply toward Kew Boulevard and the Yarra River, which flows behind it. Each room is oriented to the north to maximize views of the Yarra Bend Golf Course and the northern suburbs of Melbourne. To the west and east, the house opens minimally. This solution prevents overheating of the house, as well as views into neighboring properties, thus protecting its inhabitants from the impacts of future development on both sides – both beyond the western and eastern boundaries of the plot.

Architectural Expression of the Concept
The extreme conditions, the end of a suburban cul-de-sac, the existing artificially created surface (i.e., the tennis court), the wilderness in the city, a plateau above the river valley, a visual corridor, a captivating landscape, an active site.

We perceived the above as an opportunity to build a house that would immerse itself into its context not as a standalone soulless object but as a building that contributes to the creation and shaping of the surrounding environment.

If the human-created area (the court) is an artificial scar on the face of the landscape, could the new building establish conditions that would heal it and reconnect it to what once was? Could the architectural solution enhance the intangible ephemeral qualities of its surroundings? How to create a building that shifts the focus of interest from the architecture itself to the atmosphere created by the structure?

These questions influenced the construction solution, material choices, the division of interior volumes, and the redefinition of the architectural form itself.

The layout of the three floor plan sections gradually fans out from front to back at various angles, yet remains in harmony with the profile of the section. This solution volumetrically activates the internal spaces and offers the inhabitants an intimate experience of the landscape in the immediate vicinity of the site, as well as framed views across the river valley.

The residential platform on the first floor is suspended among the canopy of tree crowns; the load-bearing structure – a field of steel columns with a circular profile of 75 mm in two color tones – may evoke new vegetation of randomly grown saplings. The glazed lower room and the surrounding "forest floor" made of artificial grass (tennis surface) represent a magnificent play area for children.

The two-tone cladding of the outer form evokes the changing color of the new and old bark of the River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), which once predominated in the area. The satin-smooth surface of Colorbond material contrasts with the matte oxidized zinc – similar to the upper and lower sides of a leaf fluttering in the wind back and forth. The materials accentuate the vibrancy of constant changes in expression in different light. The composition of tiered horizontal lines opens downward, thereby reclaiming the original line of the sloping terrain.

The chosen architectural solution plays an active role in remedying and redefining relationships to the building's context. These simple gestures, combined with the technology used, remind us that architecture of "being" can restore a sense of belonging.

Environmental and Energy Requirements
The project considers passive heating; optimizing the orientation to the north with substantial overhangs (sunshades) and a minimal range of openings oriented to the west. All bedrooms have two operable windows allowing for cross ventilation. The sliding entrance doors also allow for cross ventilation throughout the house – the main corridor functions as a "breezeway." A high-performance Solar E neutral system from Pilkington was used for all glazing. Although the client requested air conditioning, the breezeway virtually eliminated its need.