Houses Australia - April 2018

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carvesitswaythroughthecubicformofthebodyofthehouse.
A wishbone structure separates the formal spaces at the front from
the informal spaces at the rear. Brian Bass, director at Popov Bass,
states that the spatial configuration of the interior was designed
to“zonebutnotisolate.”Theclientagrees,sayingthatoneofthe
thingsshelovesmostaboutthishouseisthatshe“canseeevery-
thingfromeverywhere.”
Anotherkeyaspectofthebriefwastheaccommodationofthe
clients’extensiveartcollection.Largeareasofverticalwallspace
wererequiredtohangthemanypaintingsofvaryingsizes.Oneofthe
most impressive spaces is the entry gallery on the lower ground level.
Thisspaceconnectsthegarageonthepropertyboundarywiththelift
inthecentreofthehouse.Briansaysitwasimperativethatthisspace
didnotendupalong,darkcorridor.Instead,thearchitectshave
created a space that really feels like an art gallery, well proportioned
andwelllit.Thehouseisundeniablylarge,butthereisnolossof
intimacy in the spaces. The clients say that they never feel like they
are“flounderingaround”andthevisualconnectionbetweenthe


spaces mitigates the feeling of being overwhelmed or lost. Large
volumes are contrasted by smaller-scaled spaces, such as the study
nearthekitchenorthelibraryabovethevoid.Compensatingfor
thelargescaleoftheproject,thehouseexcelsinitssustainability
credentials, with double the minimum mandatory requirements
forBASIX(BuildingSustainabilityIndex),high-volumerainwater
harvesting, and photovoltaic and hydronic solar systems among its
many features.
BrianseestheBellevueHillHouseIVaspartofthe“next
generationofprojects”tocomeoutoftheoffice.Whilethehouse
has the Popov Bass hallmark features of spatial sequencing, play
ofnaturallightandtheuseofdouble-heightspaces,thisprojectis
“freer in form,” particularly in the multiple curves that mark the
roof lines and the internal voids. And to the delight of the client, the
homeiscomfortabletolivein–somethingthatPopovBassaimsto
achieve in all its residential work.

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