In today's article we will give you an example of a practical room layout that works optimally for a narrow house in Australia. The converted building features a terrace and one bedroom in the heart of Fitzroy, Melbourne. The total area of the apartment is a modest 79 square meters. The area is also home to a dense mix of workers' houses and small terraces. All are modest in size, many are dark and cold. The majority of these remain in original condition, with a simple façade concealing a collection of bricks and weatherboards in the rear yard.
These buildings create a mesh of detailed and varying volumes that contrast starkly with the simplicity of the street frontage. In this context, when building to the rear of a property, close attention must be paid to the smallness and texture given the lane of the existing built form. In this context, the burden is on the designer to respond to small quantity assembly while maximizing the owners' options.
The right environment for a narrow house
As Fitzroy gentrified, architects saw that renewal was happening in unsympathetic ways. There are numerous examples of this collection of dark bricks and weatherboards being replaced by large contemporary objects dominating their context. The tactic at Moor Street was to maximize interior functions and available space while responding to the context. Thus, the architects have created a single building made up of three small objects instead of a single contemporary monolith.
There was originally an equally narrow house on the property, but it was dark, cold and cramped. The former living room was divided down the middle by a ladder, and the only bedroom was on the mezzanine. The brief was to create a functional two-bedroom cottage on a low budget. Spatial restrictions, light and modern, progressive views drove the redesign.
A converted narrow house sets new standards
With limited space available, the tight quarters were a bonus that the team wanted to put to good use. From the ground floor there was no evidence of maintaining the integrity of this modest brick architecture. Upon closer inspection we can notice four steps on the kitchen window. These create an interesting level and process of discovery.
An opening that looks like a kitchen cabinet also provides access to the light-filled stairwell and second floor. This consists of a master bedroom, walk-in closet, bathroom and second bedroom, which can also serve as a study.
The staircase fits into the overall design as an external element and serves as a device to filter daylight through the center of the building. The construction project for such a narrow house involved perforated panelsmade from sustainable materiala successful selection. These screen the apartment to the east and create dappled light that flows across the stairwell and interior. The bright colors change as the daylight changes throughout the seasons.
Vietnam's spectacular new bridge is carried by giant hands
Vietnam's new bridge "Cau Vang" has quickly attracted the attention of tourists from all over the world. The highlight are the huge, stone hands that support the bridge. On the Golden Bridge, visitors can admire the majestic mountains of Ba Na from a height of 1,400 meters. It seems that the
The viewon the neighboring church and its iconic features are framed by precisely positioned windows and skylights throughout the apartment. This creates a layered sense of connectivity.
The external landscape inspired the architectural designs for the creation of new spaces by aligning specific points of view. The operable glazing also ensuresnatural lightingand cross ventilation, while the angled volumes capture a beautiful, ever-changing quality of light.
Externally, the folded east facade replicates an angel wing that primarily protects the building below - a homage to the ecclesiastical inspiration. Such a building element also articulates the height while providing better privacy for a narrow house.
