This eye-catching residence designed by Fiona Winzar Architects is both an interesting study in angles and in eco-friendly building techniques. The home’s unusual feature is a roof extension that is used to provide privacy and shade and mimics the shape of an eyelid — inspiring its name, the Eyelid House. Built for a family of five living in a city environment, the home needed to feel airy and inviting while also incorporating smart eco-friendly features that would have money-saving, energy-efficient benefits. Highlights include preserving the existing building, a rainwater collection system, use of solar hot water, passive ventilation, and the use of materials made in Australia.
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The architects were initially confronted with several challenges that resulted from the urban setting, in particular the site is surrounded by taller buildings on two sides which would cause problems for privacy. The “eyelid” of the home proves to be a good solution with practical and aesthetic benefits. The partial roof extension blocks views from the neighboring three-story building while allowing light into the space. To create harmony between the angle of the extended roof and the rest of the home, tessellated plywood paneling is used as a decorative element on many of the walls — which, assisted with a varied palette of building materials, also helped to give the home a more casual and playful atmosphere.
+ Fiona Winzar Architects
via designboom and archdaily
Photos courtesy of Emma Cross
I would love to see some more images and perhaps some drawings of the project. It looks like a fantastic small urban house…I love the simple materials.