This project reimagines the Victorian terrace typology to adapt to a narrow, east-west oriented urban plot, measuring 22m long by 4.6m wide. Located behind a two-storey commercial unit on a heritage-rich High Street, the site previously served as tandem parking and features a 2.5m level difference. The design’s key move was to elevate the ground level, creating a roof garden that addresses the lack of green space, reduces the urban heat island effect, and supports local ecology.

Beneath the free-form timber roof lies a hall-like space reminiscent of the area’s historic factory lofts and Victorian church halls, housing the kitchen, dining room, and entrance veranda. The textured concrete internal wall provides thermal mass, enhancing the dining room’s acoustics by reducing flutter echo caused by the parallel boundary walls. The ground floor is centered around a circular snug with a central void, bringing natural light and ventilation deep into the house.

The snug divides the ground floor into east and west wings, each with bedrooms and antechambers functioning as utilities and ensuites. The house is interconnected by three stairs, encouraging circular movement and eliminating corridor spaces. The east and west façades feature trellises for climbing plants, while the entrance balcony offers natural surveillance of the laneway and adjacent public car park. Permeable grounds and a water retention system mitigate flash flooding, benefiting both the site and surrounding commercial units.

Photography by Tom Ross