Point Piper House by Popov Bass Architects

The house built on beautiful but challenging site, which has irregular shape that drops vertically from the street edge and offer views to the harbors. As a response to the neighboring context, the street elevation adopts a modest, organic form and utilizes materials such as sandstone and timber in an undulating pattern. The low profile of this street elevation allows for views over the building from the public domain.

The house features three bedrooms with the living area at the lowest level to best utilize the outdoor garden space. The access to dwelling was on the third story (at street level) with arrival sense and unusual entry sequence. A four story void scallops out the building to unify all the levels and provides the sense of arrival at the top level. The void is expressed on the exterior of the building as a tapering blade that grows through the otherwise rectilinear building form. The void also collects light from the north and drops it to the lowest levels of the house.

Point Piper House by Popov Bass Architects 1

Point Piper House by Popov Bass Architects 2

Point Piper House by Popov Bass Architects 3

Point Piper House by Popov Bass Architects 4

Point Piper House by Popov Bass Architects 5

The same site constraints also restrict the through flow of air. The void space is designed to provide a stack effect to naturally ventilate all levels of the house. To ensure thermal comfort, low E glass is used throughout and the eastern glass is protected by external blinds. Rain water is collected and used for landscaping and toilets. Solar panels and gas boosters are installed to provide for pool heating, hot water and hydronic trench heating which is designed as the primary method of heating for the dwelling.

Architects: Popov Bass Architects
House in: Sydney, Australia