Small footprint, small budget, BIG impact! Keen to build a vibrant, compact and affordable home in the tightly held seaside enclave of Point Lonsdale, a young family saw potential in a vacant battle-axe block and engaged Nine Muses Design to help bring their vision to life.
Project Name: The Fun House
Studio Name: Nine Muses Design
Project size: 177 m2
Site size: 447 m2
Completion date: 2018
Building levels: 1
Location: Point Lonsdale, Australia
Photography: Matthew Gudykunst
The FUN House is home to Emma and Louis, their two energetic young sons and
much-loved dog Pip. With creative backgrounds in furniture design and
videography, it was never going to be an ‘ordinary’ house for Emma and Louis.
Architect,
Jane Macrae explains, “Pink’s song, ‘House of Fun’ provided the soundtrack for this gift of a project. Its not often that clients can’t be challenged enough! The budget, site constraints, clients’ design acumen and their trust gave birth to a fun, collaborative and creative process. The result really reflects this and designing it never felt like it work. It was so much FUN!”
The site is located at the rear in a suburban subdivision with the desired northerly aspect facing to the street. The challenge was to maximise solar gains and garden area on a small site. The solution was three pavilions that tightly hug the rear and side boundaries with minimal setbacks. The house form literally turns its back on the idea of a ‘’backyard.’
Instead it embraces a sun-drenched front yard with easy access from living areas. and the rear location ensures it’s private and secluded. “Once we had settled on the best footprint for spatial and solar benefits we then had fun carving out character moments to reflect both Emma and Louis.”
An angled piece was sliced out of the central living area to create an expanse of glass facing true north. Bright coloured box gutters separate the three forms, lime green wrap around fascias frame the gable ends, windows are staggered in height, internal walls are at angles and a circular window provides a vista from their working kitchen to the front door. The formal plan was shaken and stirred!
“When I visit the doors are open, the house is warm and full of light, the boys are running, playing and using every available space and Pip is curled up in a sunny spot. The house is doing its job.”
