Small House is an ultra-compact concrete vertical house that adds to the urban fabric of inner city Surry Hills in Sydney. The site is so small it can fit into the garage of your typical sprawling suburban home (7m x 6m).
As an exercise in urban consolidation, Small House proposes to build upwards rather than outwards by assigning multiple uses to single spaces, with flexibility for change in the future.
The house is zoned vertically:
- Ground floor: utility/ store/bicycle/parking
- First floor: sleeping/bathing, storage
- Second floor: living(with optional additional zone)
- Third floor: food prep/eating/entertainment, topped by a
working roof garden terrace, all connected via a series
of stairs.
The stair void also assists in drawing air out through each level via the roof-top sliding doors, maximising vertical cross-ventilation. Large sliding windows maximise daylight, ventilation and frame city views whilst the solidity ensures privacy from surrounding commercial buildings and good thermal mass. A services riser connecting each level enables the reticulation of all services and additional storage.
Small House investigates a new typology in the current urban living space, whilst still reflecting a contemporary lifestyle full of diversity and creativity, all for the cost of a city apartment. Quality of design with no maintenance and substantial access to outdoor open space, are key objectives for city living.
As the sizes of cities continue to sprawl endlessly, Small House has shown an affordable and sustainable way to live in the inner city.
Domenic Alvaro interviewed for the Channel 7 news
(12 November 2011)
Small House has won the following awards:
World Architecture Festival (WAF)
- World House of the Year 2011
Australian Institute of Architects, National Architecture Awards
- Small Project Architecture 2011
Australian Institute of Architects, NSW State Awards
- Architecture Award, Small Projects 2011
- Residential Architecture Award, Single Housing 2011
Houses Awards 2011, Presented by Houses Magazine
- High Commendation, New House Under 200 m²
- High Commendation, Outdoor
(with Landscape Architects 360°)