The Hill House is the residence of a family of five, in a small lot with limited solar exposure. Erected in the southern boundary of the site, the Hill House adds to the original construction, facing the sun and emplying passive solar gain. The original construction to the north of the site becomes a secondary space, and the Hill House was transformed in the true center of the house.
Following the decision to build at the rear of the block a ubiquitous modern box was first imagined. Soon it seemed necessary to pursue the opportunity to activate this new, once shaded, now sunny façade, and the idea of the slope emerged. Andrew Maynard credits this decision to his Tasmanian origins, where built form is secondary and subservient to landscape. "Melbourne is predominantly flat," he says. "If one is to explore the possibility of cantilevering off a cliff — a desire of many architects — one is forced to manufacture that landscape." Here, the top cantilevered form acts pragmatically as the passive solar eave to the outdoor space below, cutting out summer sun, while letting winter sun flood in. "It works even better than we thought it would," says Maynard.
Here, the top cantilevered form acts pragmatically as the passive solar eave to the outdoor space below, cutting out summer sun, while letting winter sun flood in
AMA Team: Andrew Maynard, Mark Austin, Tommy Joo
Building surveyor: Metro Building Surveying
Engineer: Robin Bliem & Associates
Gross Floor Area: 192 square metres
Date of construction completed: December 2011
