Canopy House by Leeton Pointon Architects and Allison Pye Interiors.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Both organic and architectural in form, Canopy House is set amongst large plane trees on an established residential street in inner Melbourne. Adding a contemporary layer to the varied streetscape, Leeton Pointon conceived a calm refuge, using a delicate balance between mass and weightlessness to deliver a dynamic and elegant result. A sculptural solid wall conceals the house, behind which a curved volume appears to float in thin air above the entrance. A clear glazed pivot door with sidelights punctuates the wall to reveal the interior.

Textured rendered facades give a subtle and understated feel, with the house built as a backdrop to nurture busy family life. The architects describe the form of the first floor as ‘aqueous’, flowing around to the rear garden where it folds gently to the ground. Small apertures hint at life inside, while open glazing makes the most of the garden aspect.

“Not only does the house function well on a practical level, the clients have been overwhelmed by the calm refuge the house nurtures through its natural organic materiality,” explain Leeton Pointon.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

The undulating lawn and garden areas are carefully designed around two large retained elm trees. An elevated elliptical pool and deck terraces are set at living room level, reflecting the trees into the interior and creating continuity of landscaping while minimising the need for pool fencing. Generous exposed aggregate steps bridge the transition from house to garden.

“Light filters throughout the house and constantly changes during the day,” explains the design team. “It is subtle and understated in a quiet way to provide a backdrop to busy family life.”

The solid roughly rendered walls of the first floor provide north sun protection to the living areas below. Large sliding bamboo screens with angled steel plate surrounds allow for further sun control on the first floor while providing dappled light to the bedrooms. Deep west-facing windows offer further protection from the sun and privacy from neighbours. Concealed external blinds prevent direct light on glazing during the summer months to reduce thermal gain.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Photo © Lisa Cohen.

Interiors by Allison Pye feature curved polished plaster walls which separate zones, with careful placement of circulation spaces widening into more communal living areas. Changes of level inside acknowledge the various levels on the site, while changes in floor materials from limestone tiles to timber and carpet subtly reinforce the change of use. Timber also clads the walls and ceilings in some areas, adding layered texture against the plaster along with elements such as linen curtains and brass features.

Sustainability is seamlessly integrated into the building fabric yet remains unseen, along with all technology and services. An 84,000-litre water tank was installed to harvest rain water, in addition to solar panels concealed on the roof.

[Images courtesy of Leeton Pointon. Photography by Lisa Cohen.]