The principal requirement for the replacement home was to balance their personal needs with the planning constraints. The north and west elevations are the most visible so naturally John and Sue want privacy and this balanced nicely with the need for a traditional look for public view (hence the front door is not on the main elevation).

Having established this it became a natural consequence that the main living areas should look out over the views to the south and east. Added to this, it was possible to dispose these rooms so that John and Sue can "follow the sun".

I designed the house to be built using solid floors and walls. They would not only provide high levels of acoustic insulation but also act as storage for the passive solar gain from the sun throughout the day.

Natural light is important to John and Sue and my design ensures they get lots of it in the right places. The principal rooms have been laid out so that they accommodate a fluid lifestyle but I have also incorporated the option to isolate rooms should privacy be required.

The floor area of the house itself is 345m² which is, in theory, as much as the local council will presently allow. However it may be possible to obtain approval for the basement, attic and garage/studio at a later date. At worst the attic could be used as storage and the garage built as a detached structure.

John and Sue say... We like this! Most of the brief has been included which we didn't think could be achieved! We can have a kitchen which can be closed off to hide the devastation, yet which opens up to be part of the living space. It also has good access to the dining room and utility area. The day spaces link well, being in the optimum positions for the sun and views.