LOCATION: COMO Western Australia

Located on a west facing narrow lot in Como, this two storey project is designed as a passive solar home that allows the sun to penetrate deep into living spaces during winter months.

The garage is separated from the main house to create a private courtyard and maximise usable outdoor space, solar exposure, natural light and ventilation to the living spaces.

Open plan kitchen, dining and living spaces flow seamlessly onto a covered deck and pool area. The first floor master bedroom projects out westward to provide cover and solar protection to the outdoor living deck. A single flight open steel stair rising to an upper level gallery divides the living and dining spaces providing drama to this double volume space.

A materials palette of dark vertical first floor cladding, white painted brickwork, honed concrete floors, exposed concrete ceilings and soffits, dark charcoal window frames and trim gives this home a feeling of cool, relaxed minimalism.

As with all Mike Edwards Architecture projects, basic passive and solar design principles are taken into account from design inception. Considerable care is taken to optimise northern exposure and minimise eastern and western exposure to prevent undue solar gain in summer and take advantage of northern sun in winter. Suitable orientation and solar protection is integral.

Window and door openings are designed to facilitate flow-through and cross-ventilation as well as providing low-e glass and double glazing where required.

Appropriate specifications, material selection and building insulation is provided to more than adequately meet building code energy requirements.