Brief description of the project – Located on a steep site in Pascoe Vale, Horizon House reimagines the typical suburban home to create a floor plan that stands in stark contrast to its sprawling context. The strategically located building enables its owners to engage intimately with the landscape while providing a dynamic panorama beyond.
Conceptual framework of the project – The house is organized through two programs that can be divided into zones. Our goal was for the quality of light and shadow and intimacy to vary between the two levels. The ground floor volume is solid and private and contains two bedrooms, a bathroom and a laundry. The lower monolithic form figuratively s the floating living spaces on the first floor above, while providing the negative space of a double garage below.
The light-filled, translucent form above resembles a one-bedroom apartment with the essentials for eating, sleeping and playing that you can enjoy from the first floor. Spaces are open and fluid, facilitated by large sliding doors that provide versatility and adaptability. There are two main views, north and south. The north side is more intimate and seasonal, while the south side is panoramic and spacious.
Owners are encouraged to interact with the landscape via a bridge connecting the first floor living spaces to the upper garden plateau. On the south side, details are deliberately sharp and simple, capturing and framing the distant city skyline beyond. The work surface runs the entire length of the building, acting as a reference line to screen off the street below and create privacy within.
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