Maroubra Duo

The brief for this project was clear. Maximise the potential of the site to allow for two families in seperate dwellings. Under the new low rise housing diversity code dual occupancy dwellings are possible as complying development. So there was no need to go through council and the vagaries associated with this. At the same time we were able to cater to the clients full brief and ensure the properties could be strata titled. Something that could not have been done under the current council LEP control.

This part of Maroubra has its own distinct character and it was important that this context was acknowledged. To address this we provided a brick base which aligned with the neighbouring single storey brick dwellings. The first floor addition picks up the pitched roof language of the adjacent houses but with a contemporary recessive black screened form.

One of the potential issues to be addressed with dual occupancy dwellings is ensuring sufficient daylight enters the living spaces. We proposed internal courtyards for each of the dwellings that ensured natural light enters deep into the spaces along with improved natural ventilation. Spatially these courtyards also help to define the spaces and give them character providing an improved landscaped outlook which would otherwise be limited to a gun barrel view to the rear garden.