15/Love House | Cumulus

The 15/Love House evolved from a desire for a home where living could happen both indoors and out. The client and their extended family are close-knit, and socialising is mostly impromptu, often with up to 6 adults and 9 children taking over the spaces.  By cutting away the central mass of the house a courtyard is formed; not only does this allow the sun to penetrate deep into the internal living spaces, but more importantly provides opportunities for the house to grow seamlessly and allow family life to interact.

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The first floor level is not immediately evident, only after you enter does its existence become clear via important visual connections achieved through the use of voids. The lower floor spaces connect with intimate views of family life, whilst the first floor accesses distant views to the surrounding mountains, providing a release from the cramped nature of suburban living.

The house presents in an unassuming way to the street, an attitude that is reinforced by the subdued material palette and simple detailing. It does not announce the involvement of an architect but instead subtly whispers it, only revealing its true nature and complexity when one experiences the spaces first hand. Organised around the idea of ‘served and servant space’ the non-habitable areas are subservient to the habitable spaces, allowing the living areas to connect with both the courtyard and rear garden and to take full advantage of access to sun.

The project won the Tasmanian Residential Architecture Award, 2014.