The practice of residential architecture is an opportunity to develop new typologies responsive to the living preferences and environmental imperatives of today. Our design for this house in a heritage area of Melbourne demonstrates how infill projects can respect a valued historic context and innovate by developing more sustainable urban housing typologies. With this house we have challenged the typical site division of the terrace type – a discrete front yard, house and back yard. In place we propose an upside down house with a continuous landscape that brings the garden up and over the lower level sleeping areas to be an extension of and parallel to the first floor living. Despite the confines of the site the design enables a more expansive garden as well as light filled living areas with greater prospect over the surrounding landscape.

This holistic approach to the site organisation integrates a landscape vision with interior space to establish a new topography: one that achieves a series of spaces that are responsive to changes in season and climate. A breathing house it rigorously applies key principles of environmentally sustainable design and exploits the vistas and light of its surroundings while also respecting and maintaining the amenity of immediate neighbours.