Terrace House by Austin Maynard Architects in Australia

Project: Terrace House Architects: Austin Maynard Architects Location: Australia Area: 34,713 sq ft Year: 2021 Photographs: Derek Swalwell

Terrace House by Austin Maynard Architects

The Terrace House by Austin Maynard Architects is a revolutionary community-oriented housing project in Australia. The building consists of 20 well-designed environmentally and financially sustainable homes with two or three bedrooms, 55 bike parking spaces, and three retail units on the ground floor. The terrace houses are arranged in six levels and designed for owners.

The design includes Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) initiatives, including carbon-neutral operation, shared roofs, a communal washing machine, and no car parking. The building was developed based on feedback from future buyers in 2016, who formed the Terrace House community and continue to create their close-knit neighborhood.

The building's facade reflects the rich and diverse urban fabric of Brensby using recycled brick and tall tubular steel arch structures. The Terrace House fills a gap in the housing market, offering spacious homes for families with shared resources and a friendly neighborhood atmosphere.

The Terrace House is the result of efforts from past clients, staff, and partners of Austin Maynard Architects who invested their own resources to create community-oriented, fair, ethical, affordable, and climate-resilient homes. The Terrace House offers a revolutionary approach to housing by providing well-designed homes with environmental, social, and financial sustainability.

By incorporating key Ecologically Sustainable Design (ESD) initiatives in both design and operation, this carbon-neutral building reduces long-term environmental impact, lowers operational costs, and achieves an average NatHERS rating of 8.1 stars.

The building includes 20 mixed-type homes with two and three bedrooms, 55 bike parking spaces, and three retail units on the first level. Designed for owners, the Terrace House reimagines suburban living where rows of working-class homes created and sustained a close-knit community. These are not apartments but terrace houses arranged in six levels.

In June 2016, five years before construction began, a survey was provided to potential buyers. The survey engaged residents early on, forming the Terrace House community during construction and becoming part of their close-knit neighborhood now. Survey results influenced the design, including elements such as shared roofs, a communal washing machine, bike parking, and no car spaces.

The terrace house typology represents an efficient form of detached housing. With homes up to 130 sq m, the Terrace House is large compared to other apartments but highly efficient compared to detached houses. The average Australian home measures 233 sq m and is typically poorly designed, requires high maintenance, is unstable, and inefficient in terms of space and energy use. The Terrace House meets a vital need in the housing market: spacious homes for families with shared resources and a friendly neighborhood atmosphere.

The street-facing facade form is a direct response to the rich and diverse urban fabric of Brensby. The area features many examples of post-war Mediterranean-Australian architecture, industrial buildings, and magnificent Victorian shops. The Terrace House respectfully borrows from this context with a touch of humor. A modern interpretation of the context using recycled brick and tall tubular steel arch structures, reflecting Brensby's industrial past.

– Austin Maynard Architects