HELICONIA HOUSE

The Heliconia house is located on a steep sloping site in Stuart Park and has glimpses of Darwin city and Tipperary Waters Marina.

Design convenance for the subdivision had an influence on certain elements of the house such as materials, landscaping, location of spaces and site setbacks. Created for a professional couple, the owners wanted a design that had several spaces that had the opportunity to be used for short-term accommodation, whilst still allowing for their own private retreat. This meant careful consideration towards privacy and common areas was paramount. Having spent many years in shared accommodation themselves; they both knew the importance of creating privacy for tenants along with multiple shared spaces to create a happy living environment.

A long axial floor plan meant that each space could maximize city views to the front, and reserve views to the rear, whilst following our one room deep design philosophy to maximise cross ventilation.
The design is split over three levels, with the basement housing two bedrooms and two ensuite’s that directly connect to a large undercover outdoor space and BBQ area. Built from solid block-work as a strong foundation, this would also act as a large retaining wall to the site and house the carport, laundry and services. The next two levels were more exposed to the afternoon sun and therefore designed as lightweight steel frame walls that could cool down fast at night-time. The second level houses the main communal living space, with an open kitchen, living, and dining area, two more bedrooms and private ensuites. A suspended concrete slab reduces noise penetration to the ground floor bedrooms. The kitchen acts as a dual access to the front deck to watch sunsets in the afternoon over the city, with a second outdoor space at the rear with an outdoor kitchen, undercover pool area and a large green shady pergola. The top level is a private retreat for the owners with separate side access and includes a large bedroom, study, kitchenette and art space.

This was a challenging site and design brief and we are thrilled with the end result.