Brick House is a residential project completed by Clare Cousins Architects in 2011. The bright and spacious home is located in Prahran, Victoria, Australia. Craving privacy from looming neighbouring flats two new structures were conceived to cocoon a private central courtyard space between them. Designed for a young family the house caters for their needs now and in the future. A flexible space, referred to as the studio, is housed on top of the new garage forming a double story mass at the rear of the site to help screen large neighbouring buildings.
The single story addition to the house engages with the garden with its meandering facade of glass and brick. As the main view from the future house, this studio was conceived as an Aalto–inspired sculptural object to avoid the typical ‘box on top’ look, and also solve the problems of western orientation and overlooking. This solution also encouraged the outdoor space to wrap around the home’s living spaces. The extension to the main house is pulled back from the northern boundary to provide plenty of natural light and afford garden views. This gesture is expressed through a dramatic, curved glazed wall, which forms a dialogue with the sculptural timber-battened screen of the studio.A new living zone has been added, separated from the sleeping area by a central services core, comprising a laundry/wet area and pantry. Located behind the kitchen it is proximate to, though visually apart from, a second living zone, which includes a built-in study and small bar concealed behind a sliding, perforated metal screen.
