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So it’s not simply about floor-plan flexibility but
orientation?
Yes, definitely. That’s something that isn’t necessarily
clear in this prototype with the living pavilion and
bedroom pavilion. These are separate and can be
pulled apart and put together in different ways
depending on the site.
Are there plans to take it further afield and to expand
upon the success of this prototype?
I certainly entered the competition in the hope that,
if we won, it would be rolled out. Mirvac intends to
produce the house en masse. Hopefully that modular
idea will be one of the things followed through.
Amongst all of the qualities invested in your design it
obviously had to be competitively priced and affordable.
How much of a challenge was that?
The square metre budget for this house was very, very
low. Really much lower than any bespoke home. It relies
on being mass-produced to be affordable. We imagined
that if it was mass produced on a street, you don’t want
all the houses to look the same so we built in window
boxes, which have different plants and facades that can
be put together in different ways. If you had a row of
them, they’re not all going to be the same. It’s a bit like
the classic terrace house with just enough difference so
that they’re personalised.
What was the biggest test and the most gratifying?
The thing we really tried to achieve, fundamentally,
was connecting living areas to the garden and a sense
of openness to the street. There’s a glass front door
where you can see straight through. You can’t see
anything private but you can see there is some activity
within, so it’s got that street connection.