Back House

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	1. 01 View from rear lane, looking west. 3912 px 5869 px 6 MB A3 print
	2. 02 View from rear lane, looking east. 4001 px 6002 px 7 MB A3 print
	3. 03 View from rear lane, looking north. 2824 px 4235 px 3 MB A4 print
	4. 04 View from south entry (from laneway), looking north. 4089 px 6133 px 6 MB A3 print
	5. 05 View towards north entry (taken in common area / access-way, from direction of main street), looking south. 4146 px 6219 px 7 MB A3 print
	6. 06 View from garden, looking southwest. 6720 px 4480 px 9 MB A3 print
	7. 07 View from garden, looking southeastt. 4557 px 6836 px 9 MB A3 print
	8. 10 View of living area, looking south. 6463 px 4308 px 7 MB A3 print
	9. 11 View of living area, looking south. 6487 px 4325 px 6 MB A3 print
	10. 12 View of living area, looking west. 6478 px 4318 px 6 MB A3 print
	11. 12a View of living area, looking west. 6720 px 4480 px 7 MB A3 print
	12. 13 View of living area, looking east. 6279 px 4186 px 6 MB A3 print
	13. 14 View of living area / kitchen, looking east. 6359 px 4239 px 5 MB A3 print
	14. 15 Detail of living area / kitchen, looking east. 4369 px 6553 px 6 MB A3 print
	15. 16 Detail of living area / kitchen, looking east. 4287 px 6430 px 6 MB A3 print
	16. 17 Detail of living area / kitchen, looking northeast. 4480 px 5973 px 5 MB A3 print
	17. 20 View of bathroom, looking east. 5853 px 4390 px 5 MB A3 print
	18. 21 View of bathroom, looking east. 4480 px 5973 px 5 MB A3 print
	19. Ground floor plan 3000 px 2000 px 305 KB Print - Low res only
	20. Upper floor plan 3000 px 2000 px 306 KB Print - Low res only
	21. Sections 3000 px 2000 px 68 KB Print - Low res only

Description

This project started with a simple question from the client: ‘Can we fit a small house for my parents in the back yard?’. To achieve this, we set aside 69m² of the yard for the new dwelling, and devised an efficient layout occupying 58m² over two stories.

A key consideration of the project was to enable three generations of the same family to live in close proximity while providing adequate privacy for all occupants. The new downstairs living area opens up to a private courtyard, and the upstairs bath offers a clear yet discreet view to the sky and surrounding rooftops. In addition to the council-mandated path leading to the main street, we provided an alternative entry via the south-side laneway which proved to be very useful.

To maximise amenity within the modest footprint, the roof slopes up from the north side to add loft to the upstairs spaces while minimising visual bulk from the street and the existing house. Along the west side, a covered outdoor storage area conceals a workbench. With its main living area facing north and featuring terrazzo flooring for thermal mass, the house requires minimal heating during the cooler months.

Construction of the house was undertaken by the owner’s family, including selection of fittings and finishes. Having a skilled carpenter in the family was an added benefit, producing beautiful details like the custom joinery handles. It was a joy to witness the project's completion, and to see the family’s unique touch in the end result.

Questions and Answers

What was the brief?

To design a small, modern, and energy-efficient home at the rear of an existing house, for the parents of one of the owners to be close to the couple and their two kids.

What were the solutions?

1. To make the best use of available area at ground level, the kitchen, dining, and living zones were combined into a single space. Large north-facing sliding glass doors allow the living area to ‘borrow’ space from the garden while letting in plenty of natural light. The floor area in the upper level was augmented by creating a cantilever over the living space below. This also acted as an eave to control solar heat gain in summer, and to protect the sliding door from rain. Generous storage was provided both indoors and outdoors, along with a concealed workbench next to the entry walkway. The overall result was a house that ‘never felt small’, according to its occupants.

2. The internal layout and external form of the proposed building were carefully manipulated to comply with town planning and regulatory requirements regarding overlooking while minimising the use of obscure glass. Every room in the upper floor has a clear and openable window to the outside.

3. The roof of the new house starts at a low level and slopes up towards the rear. This maintains a low profile on the north elevation (facing the existing house) while providing enough rise in ceiling height for the upper-floor to feel spacious. An added benefit of this approach was that the rooftop solar array would be optimally pitched for increased yield. The building was set back on the west boundary to minimise overshadowing of the neighbour’s yard, and a roof garden was inserted within the setback to further soften the view from the north.

What were the key challenges?

1. Size
The lot for new dwelling had to be derived from the backyard of the existing house. The area available for the new dwelling ended up being only 69m² including outdoor space. The new house should be compact, but should not feel cramped.

2. Privacy
While the family desired to live in close proximity to each other, privacy of the occupants and a degree of separation between the two houses had to be provided. The new house was also not allowed to overlook the backyards and windows of surrounding properties.

3. Visual bulk
The owners were keen for the new house not to be too visually imposing when viewed from the street or from the backyard of the existing house.

Details

Project size	58 m2
Site size	69 m2
Completion date	2023
Building levels	2

Project team