When it came to designing this new family home in Eltham, the hilltop site was equal parts challenging and inspiring for Ben Callery Architects.
Located on top of a hill, it had great opportunities to take in views across the established trees, and sunset vistas across the valley.
But the trees also shaded much of the property, and too many windows could cause the house to overheat — compromising the clients’ dreams of an low-energy home that used passive solar design to minimise reliance on heating and cooling.
‘They wanted their house to sit comfortably in the environment and be naturally comfortable to occupy,’ Ben Callery says.
This was important to the clients both for sustainability, and as long-term residents of Eltham, it felt right to acknowledge the suburb’s bushland setting, and tradition of designing around nature, cemented by the likes of Alistair Knox.
‘We have an affinity for Eltham’s design ethos and wanted to reinterpret the spirit of the generations of natural architecture in the area, within a contemporary form,’ Ben says.
As a result, they focused on selecting the right natural materials for the project. A screen made from slatted silvertop ash timber wraps around the home’s rectilinear form, which appears to ‘delicately float in the treetops’.
Ben says this elevation and the L-shaped floor plan also helped them take full advantage of the sloping site.
‘The front of the house is raised, so the living spaces and deck are in the treetops, enjoying unobstructed sunlight, while maintaining a sense of privacy from the street below,’ he adds.
‘The cantilevered deck draws occupants out into their leafy surrounds where vertical and horizontal timber slats provide more privacy and control summer sun.’
In winter, all the living rooms are heated by the warming sun, and openable windows on multiple sides provide plenty of cross ventilation to catch the prevailing breezes in summer. Rooftop solar power also helps the owners offset their energy usage.
Even the interiors were ‘all about reinforcing a connection with nature’. The timber floors and cabinetry are bathed in dappled natural light, and the green mosaic tiles and concrete basins in the bathrooms provide joyful moments of colour, inspired by the gum trees of the area.
Over time, the rough-sawn timber exterior will turn grey, enabling the house to blend even more deeply into the beautiful, natural landscape.