Mount Pleasant House | Robeson Architects

It is a common request from clients to orientate the design toward a view, if there is indeed a view to be had. The term ‘view’ in the context of Perth generally means glimpses of the city skyline, the river, or the ocean. In many cases, we believe a view is overrated. Do we sit and stare at the view? Perhaps what we really crave is the feeling of being in a certain place, smelling the sea or feeling a cooling breeze. Sensory sensations that locate us in whatever location we happen to be. For this home, the owners agreed that we dismiss the idea of an ‘upside down’ house in order to capture city views from the living areas, in favour of a ground floor living that has strong connections to the garden.
This is a home for a growing young family, one in which they can enjoy and grow into for years to come. The program includes four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a spacious living and outdoor dining area. With an advantageous northern block orientation, we hinged the design decisions around making the most of it, to create thermally comfortable and functional living areas. The living space comprising kitchen, dining and lounge is rectangular in form and runs in a north-south orientation with the length of the block. Pushed to the west, it allowed for an eastern courtyard that opens to the kitchen allowing morning sun to flow through. Dividing this courtyard and the garden is a covered outdoor dining room, having the dual aspect of both green spaces. The first floor houses the parents’ bedroom and ensuite, separated from the rest of the house that also grabs those city views, best seen at night.