This infill development provides an alternative model for medium density housing in Perth’s established suburbs.
Comprising seven two- and three-bedroom homes on a 1050 square metre site in Palmyra, just outside Fremantle, the total footprint of 690 square metres is a compact envelope that maximises useable outdoor space for residents.

The apartments are accessed via a landscaped pedestrian walkway along the site’s northern boundary, and each apartment enjoys a private north-facing courtyard. The focus on passive solar design principles that drove the orientation and spatial planning sets this development apart from others in the area, where much of the ground plane is typically given over to paved surfaces that contribute to the urban heat island effect.

Along the southern boundary, car circulation is minimised, giving access to covered car parking bays. Communal landscaping helps to further embed this new development into its established surroundings.

The modest and efficient walk-up homes enjoy amenities similar to terrace houses, and each home has its own set of internal stairs. All of the rooms make the most of verdant outlooks whether to the ground floor courtyards or district views through tree canopies upstairs.

The relatively shallow depth of each apartment allows for maximum cross ventilation and ample exposure to northern winter sunlight, creating spaces that are comfortable all year round.

The continuous brick facade creates a homogeneous approach to the built form, and timber battens provide visual privacy to the upper floor balconies.

Photography by Dion Robeson