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Project Details:

Location: Mapleton, Queensland, Australia

Architect: Atelier Chen Hung / @atelierchenhung

Footprint: 2,282 square feet

Builder: AMBuild

Structural Engineer: Westera Partners

Civil Engineer: Stantec

Landscape Design: BrushBox Design + Ecology

Lighting Design: Volker Haug

Photographer: David Chatfield

From the Architect: “The design brief called for a compact home for two on a suburban-rural site in Mapleton, perched atop the ridgelines of the Blackall Range. The client sought to take advantage of elevated views toward distant Mount Ninderry and and Mount Coolum while ensuring the home remained functionally versatile and energy-efficient—all within a modest footprint.

“The main house is strategically sited below street level, allowing passersby to continue enjoying the magnificent views from both the street and the public staircase. Native landscaping around the house enriches the public interface, softening the fenceless boundaries between private and communal spaces.

"The stepping platforms of the house accentuate the experience of the sloping site, taking cues from the public staircase. Exterior walls are intentionally angled to align with sight lines towards the mountains, creating a dynamic and playful interior. Living spaces expand towards the view, enhancing a sense of openness, while sleeping and bathing areas contract to evoke intimacy. An outdoor space is embedded within the plan as the primary circulation path, encouraging occupants to engage with the ever-changing outdoor conditions. Large sliding glazed doors allow the occupants to adjust their patterns of use and respond to changing climate conditions. Service cores discreetly conceal daily domestic functions and practical amenities, creating an intricate layering of pathways and spaces.

“The exterior is entirely clad in natural zinc, achieving a monolithic and enduring form. Locally sourced materials including silver ash, hoop pine ply, and yellow sandstone work in unison to create a cohesive and cavernous interior.

“Oriented to capture natural breezes from the east, the house can open up to maximize ventilation. Perforated screens provide sun shading and privacy but can be adjusted to invite winter sunlight into the interior. The client’s electricity bills indicate a carbon-negative operational energy usage, with excess energy from the small 3.5 kW solar system exported back to the grid. A 40,000-liter double water tank supplies 100 percent of the household’s drinking and washing water, while a biological septic tank ensures safe, non-toxic sewage treatment and additional site irrigation.”