Living Screen House

by CplusC Architects + Builders

The Living Screen House by CplusC Architects + Builders is a single-family residence on a narrow site. This stunning home is built for entertaining and features a unique lap-pool abutting a double height social space which spills out to the rear BBQ area. Living green wall screens to the front and side façades provide privacy and a sense of retreat.

The client’s brief was for a home which could be both a springboard for entertaining and a private family retreat. The site constraints and the practice’s commitment to passive solar design and natural day lighting drove much of the resulting form.

Conceptually, the spatial planning of the house is split into social and family spaces. Downstairs, the kitchen, living, dining and outdoor spaces are located to optimise solar access while enjoying strong visual connections between spaces.

The acrylic wall between above ground lap pool and lounge room refracts sparkling natural light into the double height social spaces, wrapping indoor and outdoor spaces together. Upstairs, each bedroom enjoys an outlook onto private outdoor green space. In some cases, this is onto a vertical garden, which doubles as a privacy screen from neighbours.

The craftsmanship of the build is revealed in the material palette, which includes unfinished Kobe board (cement impregnated oriented strand board), burnished concrete, expressed timber and steel columns complemented with industrial steel accents.

The home features predominantly raw, low embodied energy materials throughout with 10,000 liters rainwater storage and a massive 10KW solar system on the roof. CplusC maximised reusable materials from the existing household to provide a sense of connection with the previous residence. The front car park was retained, and planters and timber from the demolition stage were reused for furniture and planting as a part of an effective cost saving and sustainable decision.

A key requirement of the house was to make it easier for the inhabitants to do the things they love, including entertaining at home and surfing at nearby Bondi Beach. In the six weeks since handover, the family had already hosted a 21st birthday party, a family Christmas gathering and several impromptu barbecues with friends.

Secure storage for sports equipment, which are accessible from the entry courtyard, has made it easier to grab a surfboard and head to the beach after work or school.

Located in a beach side suburb, the street includes double storey houses and low-rise apartment blocks. The built form is consistent with the immediate neighbours in terms of setback and height with the green wall and LED strip lights within the planters playing on the scale of the mix of single detached housing and the surrounding apartments. To increase privacy from pedestrian traffic, the entry was partially sunken and screening elements were introduced at the front and side of the property.

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