When Melbourne-based Bower Architecture was commissioned to design a Caulfield home, it quickly became apparent that glass was going to play an integral role.
The client had lived on the site for a number of years and was eager to improve its generic design and how unresponsive it was to its surroundings.
Glass was used to form the basis of the building's expression and presence to the street and to allow the 5 star home to perform sustainably.
Jade Vidal, director at Bower Architecture, says "Wherever possible we used external glazing to maintain maximum transparency, however, we used Viridian VLam Soft White glass for privacy where necessary."
The street front presents a facade of square and rectangular forms clad in concrete and black zinc and concealed steel framed slot windows create a ribbon of glazing around the perimeter. An upstairs rumpus room is the strongest focal point with a four-by-four metre steel framed window comprising operable and fixed panes, which cantilever towards the street.
In terms of function, it was important that the home offered the flexibility to be efficiently zoned for varying numbers of family and guests. This was achieved by designing the 420 sqm home as a series of open and light filled areas, which can be used separately or joined together through the use of glass.
The house's courtyard plays a key role in ensuring sufficient levels of natural light. "The site is in a suburban street where access to both northern sunlight and privacy is very much limited by its surroundings. In particular, a multi-level house to the north blocks sunlight. By using the courtyard and gallery as a response to the overshadowing, we were able to create a means of welcoming natural light into the house that also passively cools the spaces and act as a central focus around which the rest of the house is based," says Vidal.
Cross-ventilation and access to and collection of northern light was achieved through carefully considered orientation and an internal louvered clerestory and gallery.
The home also features extensive glazing, and insulating glass units and ComfortPlus Low E glass from Viridian are used to achieve year-round comfort and maximum energy efficiency.
