Designing a home for this tree-clad, windysite was never going to be easy. On a steep slope, much of the block was conservation land covered in regenerating bush. Only four metres of the land was level and that was at the narrowest point of the site, on the boundary line of other houses.
It was a challenge that had put off many prospective buyers. Architects Richard Wiles and Erin Collins spent weeks assessing the site before they decided to take it on. The couple wanted a home with all-day sun and views, and this site gave them both. It also allowed them to explore their professional interest in interlocking forms.
Their approach was to work with the site rather than against it, positioning the three-storey home so that it turns its back on the street and opens up to views of the harbour and gorge.
To create enough flat land to accommodate the home's footprint, the basement was excavated into the slope, allowing the two upper stories to be positioned high over the bush.
The unassuming front elevation provides an element of surprise, as visitors step from the street into 360º views over the trees. Tiny windows at the front of the house, designed to provide privacy, give way to extensive glazing that brings daylight deep into the house and maximises the views.
Designing and building for themselves meant Wiles and Collins could explore concepts they wouldn't normally venture with clients.