Environmental response

Building separate but connected residences brings the opportunity for harmony. Creating small differences, such as the pitch of a roof, will allow each house to be distinct within a mutual design approach.

The apartment featured here, by architect Glenn Russell, is one of two skillion-roofed dwellings. Designed and built in tandem, minimising design footprints and material costs, the houses are set into a steep sloping site. The physical separation between the front entries creates the appearance of separate residences when viewed from the street, says Russell.

"Shifting roofing elements and playing with window forms on the street side of the houses means each has a distinct individual character," says Russell.

The apartments are also segmented front to back by deep courtyards with living spaces that wrap around them creating a pavilion at the front and the rear for each dwelling.

Stepped pavilions worked with the steep gradient and also create visual interest when viewed from further up the hill, Russell says.

"The design maximises usable space inside without pushing to the extremes of the council height boundaries on the outside respecting the needs of the homeowner and the greater environment at the same time," says Russell. "Materials and tones were chosen to harmonise with the coastal surroundings."

While the street frontage, with undercroft parking, appears as a single level, the step-down structure following the land means the units take on a three-level aspect when seen from the ocean side of the property.

Skillion roofs were also an appropriate choice in the context of the area where many buildings are single storey and roof pitches are predominantly flatter. They also work to preserve sightlines for neighbouring homes overlooking the property. In addition, the sloping roof planes allowed for the use of highlight windows accentuating the volume of the living areas on the inside and increasing solar penetration.

"In terms of interiors, the two homes are identical apart from the ceiling volumes, which differ according to the slope of the roofs," says Russell. "The lower floor contains the main bedrooms, ensuite bathrooms and laundry, and the split-level, upper floor has the expansive living spaces and deep balconies looking out over the views."

The open-plan kitchen continues past the exterior wall, and becomes a barbecue area out on the deck. A centrally divided plunge pool cantilevers from each deck, so residents can enjoy the water all year round.

The decks are shaded by the extended forms of the roof and walls, which retain sun corridors to warm the plunge pools.

Story by: Charles Moxham