From the architect:
Iron Maiden House is located in the Sydney suburb of Longueville, a small residential area on the peninsula between Tambourine Bay and Woodford Bay. The site is afforded views of the Lane Cove River and the Sydney CBD.
Iron Maiden House was designed for a family of five, returning to Sydney from many years living in Hong Kong. Accustomed to the oceanic subtropical monsoon climate of Hong Kong, the clients were looking for a home that used passive design principles to heat and cool the building. They weren’t afraid to challenge traditional notions of what a home should and shouldn’t be, requesting a generous connection to the outdoors to enjoy and entertain family and friends.
The elongated corner site afforded the opportunity to explore an atypical form for the house.
The house was extruded lengthways across the site and cut down the middle with a pond that forms a central axis. Narrow, cathedral-like spaces have been formed around this central axis with ponds running parallel to walkways to connect the spaces. It makes for a sheltered, private outdoor space for the family to enjoy.
“The reason we decided to re-build was because there was never enough light going into the original house (among many other issues),” says client Li-Yan Yip.
“With this new home, there is natural light in every corner. It is also a very sustainable home with plenty of spaces for our three children. We wanted an inside-out house after 2 decades of apartment living and CplusC delivered just that and more. They had amazing insight on how we could live and grow with this home.”
