1+2 Architecture acknowledges the Palawa people as the traditional custodians of lutruwita, the lands on which our company is located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society.
South Hobart Houses
LOCATION + TRADITIONAL COUNTRY
The Palawa, South Hobart, Tasmania
CLIENT
Private
STATUS
Built (2008)
AWARDS
Not applicable
media
Not applicable
PHOTOGRAPHY
South Hobart Houses brings together two three-bedroom family homes in a duplex development, demonstrating how thoughtful design can achieve light-filled, contemporary living within a modest budget.
Located on a steep, bushland site in one of Hobart's suburban valleys, the project responds to challenging terrain and a southern orientation, through a simple, economical architectural approach.
KEY COLLABORATORS
+ Builder:
Hebblewhite Builders
+ Structural / Hydraulics Engineering:
+ Building Surveyor:
Place
The houses occupy a steep, densely vegetated block in South Hobart, where the surrounding bushland and shaded hillside setting are defining features of the site.
The slope and limited buildable area presented particular, design challenges. The design needed to accommodate two family homes, maximise northern solar access and capture eastern views to the city and river, while also providing access, parking and shared outdoor space that reflected the owners’ commitment to a more community-focused way of living.
Process
The two houses follow the natural contours of the land, allowing their long elevations to open to the north for passive solar gain while achieving ground level connection. They are positioned either side of the site’s existing level area, preserving it as shared communal open space.
The architecture is deliberately restrained and defined by an approach of unadorned rationalism, economical inventiveness and high-performance structural design. Lean steel sub-floor structures navigate the steep slope and create level platforms for the lightweight timber-framed buildings. Materials were chosen for their durability, performance and cost-effectiveness including fibre cement sheet claddings, balustrades using off-the-shelf galvanised safety fencing and dry-stack block retaining wall systems.
While the footprint of each is small, high ceilings and judicious placement of windows creates a sense of spaciousness in the light-filled interiors. Plywood linings introduce the natural warmth and texture of timber to the floors and ceilings, providing a cost-effective alternative to solid timber while retaining a sense of material richness. In contrast the walls are lined with clear-sealed fc sheet. The material joints in both products are meticulously detailed and aligned to provide a sense of refinement and order.
Impact
South Hobart Houses demonstrates how thoughtful design can make the most of a challenging site and a modest construction budget, while creating something more valuable than two individual homes. The shared outdoor space and carefully considered arrangement of the houses have enabled two families to build a close-knit community, sharing meals, childcare and household responsibilities, and “doing life together”. Despite the steep south-facing hillside and limited buildable area, both homes are filled with natural light and connected to their beautiful bushland environment. The result is a way of living that combines the independence of separate homes with the benefits of shared space, and shared life.
Awards + Jury Citation
