The result counts

The solutions are tried and tested, and sound somewhat trivial at first: A house that is closed off facing the street, while it opens up to the garden, interacts with the surrounding landscape through its different-sized windows, forms views and seeks to enter into a dialog with nature. A house that does not focus on its materiality, but rather attempts with a few devices to produce convincing architecture.

However, when these proven strategies result in a well-designed and excellently proportioned building such as “House A” by Melbourne-based architects Walter&Walter, you recall that the old solutions are often the best. The layout takes you through the private to the public areas, from small scale to a large scale, and from filtered to direct light. The facade consists completely of untreated timber. According to the architects the wood would lose its natural look if it were treated. Moreover, with its stained dark, rough surface it forms an attractive contrast to the smooth and generous expanse of windows.