Elwood House

Full description

RESEARCH BACKGROUND
In Australia, the public realm and private house are traditionally considered as mutually exclusive environments. Their separation and independence is the basis of the suburban land-ownership model that dominates national urban form. Individuals, move between private, public and semi-public worlds in their daily use and everyday experience of the city. However, the contemporary relationship between the domestic household unit and the micro-public realm of our suburbs and cities is not necessarily fixed.

RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION
This house is located on a small, exposed site adjoining the Elwood Canal, a previous drainage easement that has become a lively social and recreational link. The internal organisation of the house and its external spaces on this constricted site provide multiple opportunities for both closeness and distance between members of the maturing family unit, as well as opportunities for interaction between family members and their surrounding public domain. This is achieved in several ways, including: the literal overlapping and mutual borrowing of space at ground level; the provision of flexible openings of different types along the site boundary; the deliberate positioning of raised external open spaces; and the precise manner in which the building is made.

RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE
The house has been published in several journals, including Architecture Australia, 2008, Cross Section, 2008 and Guide to Melbourne Architecture, 2009. It was listed as one of ten top buildings of 2008 by national radio broadcaster, 3RRR and short-listed for the House category of World Architecture Festival Awards, Barcelona 2009. It won the 2008 AIA (Vic) Residential Alterations and Additions award.