Architects Stuart Vokes and Aaron Peters of Vokes and Peters were charged with designing a new build for a spacious family home on a prominent corner lot in the historic garden suburb of Subiaco. The clients ‘were keen to build a generous family house that engaged them with the outdoors, and an architecture that was sensitive to the rich, established character of the streetscape and a historic way of building’, explains Stuart Vokes of the brief.
A series of discrete, interconnected rooms are arranged around a central courtyard, elegantly balancing private outdoor space with a connection to the street.
Local planning controls (and neighbourhood conventions) preferenced a single storey design – which presented a challenge to the architects, as the concept was to prioritise private open space at ground level. Through inventive design measures, the architects used terracotta roof tiles to shroud the upper story of the building, resulting in an appearance that was consistent with the neighbours.
The architects explain that while the appearance of the home is relatively understated, ‘the site planning is a radical departure from the established norms of the area.’ This subtly rebellious design provides a secret garden for the residents, as well as an unexpected layout, where the kitchen is placed on the edge of the public footpath. The interplay between private and public provides unconventional moments of connection and engagement with the neighbourhood.
As a Brisbane-based firm, the architects did thorough research into the local climatic conditions for a project on the opposite side of the country. In the end, the design lent itself to natural ventilation, where ‘generous overhangs exclude summer sun and allow winter sun to penetrate into the internal spaces, and the cloistered garden embraces the cooling afternoon breezes (known locally as the ‘Fremantle Doctor’).’
The green heart of this home is lush, breezy and beautiful, as well as temperature controlling across the seasons. A truly exceptional example of a new home seamlessly integrated into a historic neighbourhood!
The Subiaco Home by Vokes and Peters has been shortlisted in the Residential Architecture category of the TDF Design Awards! See here to view the other shortlisted projects.
