Henry Street Townhouses is a neighbour friendly residential development in a street rich with cultural and demographic diversity.

The brief was for a speculative twin-townhouse development, of high quality to appeal to the suburb’s ‘eccentric and multicultural demographic’. The homes had to be comfortable, large enough to accommodate a family- but also scaled appropriately for a couple.

The outcome is a powerful contribution to the streetscape and a strong reinforcement of the exuberant neighbourhood social character. Landscaping strategies act as soft interfaces with neighbours and are appreciated from all aspects of the dwelling interior. Integrated with the architecture are elegant planter boxes and fine steel tracery to encourage the growth of evergreen vertical creepers, gently delineating the 2 townhouses reinforcing the prevalent single front dwelling rhythm of the street.

Material selections with an emphasis from sustainable local sources are warm, textured and timeless. All heating services and rain harvesting are discretely integrated into landscaped side setback ‘light wells’. The project was budget sensitive at a construction cost under $3500 per sqm for two speculative architect-designed homes using simple building technologies and traditional carpentry skills.

The project demonstrates how a collaborative approach, integrating the skills and craft of many allied disciplines can deliver a successful outcome addressing the client brief, site and budgetary constraints.

With the learnings of 2020, the project demonstrates the equal importance of designing our homes with consideration of local community engagement and planning for flexibility anticipating multiple uses, with the core criteria of light ingress, sustainability and affordability.

Furniture: In Good Company, James Richardson Furniture, Jardan, Grazia & Co, Open Room, RJ Living. Lighting: Artemide, LPA, Giffen Design. Finishes: James Hardie, RMS, Glux, Byzantine Tiles, Academy Tiles, Charles Sandford. Fittings & Fixtures: Phoenix Tapware, Slabshapers, Franke, Castella Gallant.

Photography: Derek Swalwell