URBAN INFILL PROJECT
Project at Curtin University - 2006
Mt Lawley, Western Australia

This small building was the result of a fifth year design studio at Curtin University. The brief was for a small structure at the rear of an existing heritage Mt Lawley home that would accommodate a small architectural studio of 4 seats, and act as guest house if the owners had visitors. Because Mt Lawley is designated as a "Heritage District" , a strict set of conditions regarding the design and appearance of the new building were imposed on the design. It was also a requirement that the size of the structure be kept to a minimum, cost of the structure was a major consideration.

The resultant design is a very compact two storey structure that sits at the rear of the block. The main living space consists of four cubic forms. While each cube accommodates a specific function, only the bathroom cube's is permanent. The bed can fold away into the wall and the kitchen can be concealed behind doors so that the remaining three cubes can be utilized for a variety of purposes. These three cubes also have large operable awning windows which when opened turn the space into one large balcony space. The studio is located on the second floor, and has large fixed and obscured windows at each end, while an array of low awning windows runs the length of the studio to provide natural ventilation.

While the building code would have allowed for some boundary walls, it was decided, that in keeping with the pattern of the neighbourhood, the building should take on a detached "bungalow" configuration. This results in an almost pavilion sense to the building. The pitched roof was designed to satisfy heritage requirements, but also reflects the same pitch and roofing materials that can be found on the original homes in the area.