Concealed under its green blanket roof and nestled amongst the landscape, Riverview House needed a new entrance and creation of a sense of identity within the streetscape. Scale Architecture references the previous design language of the home through reinforcing the natural connection as a continued focus.
Originally designed and built in the 1970s, Riverview House found itself in need of refreshing in a way that would honour the original intent. The creation of a purpose-led connection to the streetscape and an embedding of relevance to place lead to a true evolution of the original. Located in its namesake of Riverview, the home sits immersed within the landscape and, under a newly established green roof arrangement, provides natural and passive cooling and heating throughout the year. In the proposal of a new entry and the other additions, Scale Architecture directs movement into and through the home as a key focus, adding an overarching sense of calm whilst still retaining an open embrace of the surrounds.
With landscape design by Sue Barnsley Design, Riverview House aims to transform the less conventional shape of the home and create connections internally and that extend with purpose between inside and out. Through key interventions and insertions, a new entry sequence is created, clearly marking the front face of the home. Prior, a sense of presence was lacking amongst its neighbours. The new entry structure reaches out over the garage to create a green roof, populated with native and naturally tumbling plantings. The green roof creates another garden element for the home, elevated in place and adding a cooling function in the process. Whilst the original home felt like a spiral, the new entry grounds the structure through inserting a more regular form.
With the living areas elevated, introducing a new garden at the upper level further reinforces the natural connection. Whilst the existing and established trees allow for view through the canopies, the addition of the new garden creates an encompassing natural element to the residence. The off-form concrete structure becomes the perfect conduit for the garden while also adding to a sense of balance and proportion. Internally, a new kitchen recalibrates itself as the central heart of the home, where operable windows on both sides open generously to the surrounds.
