Set in a quiet, tree-lined street and surrounded by peaceful parks and family homes, this dual occupancy development sought to inject a subtle modern architecture capable of supporting Yagoona families. The demand for housing stock in the area is high, with working families seeking safe and quiet locations to raise children. As per this condition, a dual occupancy provides the most accommodation possible on a single site, whilst still retaining maximum outdoor amenity and privacy.

From the street, the mirrored design does not appear to share an axis, with a slight separation between both dwellings created by the offset of the centralised circulation and stairs serving each half. This creates an individual sense of identity as a separate residence on the plot, further enhanced by the individual driveways and entry points. The sloped roofs, when considered together, reflect the gable roof styles of the surrounding architecture, and speak to the height planes of neighbouring homes to create a fluid yet relatively consistent roofscape. Enabling the development to retain a sense of single-dwelling character and promoting consistency of the roofscape allows this contemporary addition to achieve an appropriate sense of place. The architecture is encouraged to feel part of the Brennan Street context, enabling the occupants to also feel this sense of belonging. Response to context is critical to creating and preserving communities, and the Brennan Street dual occupancy ensures this as well as supporting the individuals within the community.

The angularity of the first floor is softened by the slight slope of the roof, and the timber cladding detail on the underside. The timber speaks to the foliage and plantings on site, in the street and in neighbouring yards, to create a consist element across each individual palette.

In response to the tree-lined street frontage and the abundance of greenery typical of the Yagoona area, the proposal includes centralised courtyards to beckon natural light into the centre of each dwelling and to further refocus on nature; the plantings in the courtyard evoke the sense of transience, heightening the relationships between indoor and outdoor, darkness and light, humans and nature.

By reorientating the traditional layout of the home to focus on nature – instead of internal features like televisions or fireplaces – and giving all rooms of the home an aspect facing some form of greenery, a primal link between humans and nature is facilitated. It is no secret that a connection to nature promotes a healthy mindset and productivity among other benefits, and the architectural response to this encourages occupants of each dwelling to enjoy their best life.

Furthermore, these courtyards allow for an attached dual occupancy to provide outlook, natural light and cross ventilation to all rooms, superior to that of traditional attached dual occupancies. By taking into account the leafy context of the site and employing that in the actual design of the building, the architecture has fostered an environment for a higher quality of living.