03
HouseAisunusualbecauseofitslocationandappearance:it
sits close to the front boundary and presents a near-blank concrete
facadetothestreet.Stepsleaduptothedark-cladrecessedentry
andfrontdoor,butonceoverthethreshold,thespaceexplodes
withnaturallight,thankstoaprivatesunnycourtyardandsoaring
ceilings that amplify the building’s diminutive footprint.
Thekitchenandlivingspaceopentothecourtyard;asmall
study/reading nook beside the kitchen (which could be repurposed
as a bedroom later) leads to a service court with an outdoor shower,
worm farm and rainwater tank concealed below the decking.
The living area is deliberately modest at just three metres wide,
andleadstoacompactlaundrytuckedaroundthecorner.Witha
shower recess and second toilet, this space encapsulates all that is
clever about the project. Custom steel shelving, steel-framed windows
recessedintotheprecastconcretewalls,andalaundrychutefrom
themezzaninebedroomabovearejustsomeofitssmartfeatures.
“For me, there is a real understanding of how everything has its
place in our house, and everything feels great,” Kate says. “I fought
for this outcome, and to create a house that is both open and private.”
That feeling is especially evident upstairs, where the bedroom and
bathroom are open to the living space. Large windows take in views
across the neighbourhood toward the Indian Ocean and capture the
prevailing breeze.
“There are no doors in this house apart from in the downstairs
toilet,” Kate says. “The spaces are separated by lots of corners and
turns like in a Luis Barragán plan.”
The project relied heavily on the couple’s professional skills and
labour, as well as the input of trusted friends who were builders and
tradespeople. “It helped that Matt was on site all the time and carried
out a range of trades such as tiling, pouring the concrete benches and
installing the brass detailing,” Kate says. “He was the glue that made
it come together, because he can do so many things.”05 Tucked within sculpted
forms and honest
materials, the loft
bedroom offers a
space of retreat.04
04 The main volume is made
from insulated concrete
tilt panels cast on site,
chosen for the material’s
minimalist qualities.
Artwork: James Turrell.03 The exterior presents
a simple form that the
architects liken to a
“scaled-up cardboard
model.”