Northcote House

The Northcote House, located in the inner-suburbia laneway of Melbourne, seeks to re-conceptualise the Victorian terrace typology with contemporary advanced fabrication technology. The outcome is a compact urban infill dwelling with an elevated roof garden, reducing the urban heat island effect and supporting local ecology. Together with the highly textured internal concrete wall (providing thermal mass and reducing the flutter echo effect), the free-form roof structure creates a dramatic space visible from the street, reminiscent of the neighbourhood's large factory lofts and Victorian church halls. The roof structure is an innovative laminated plywood panel designed for local manufacturing within an SME set-up. A central void with timber stairs brings natural daylight and ventilation to the depth of the house, eliminating the typical dark corridor of a terrace typology. The brown roof creates spaces to support the urban ecology. FSC-certified plywood is chosen for ease of manufacturing, utilising local knowledge in advanced digital manufacturing and robotics located within 5km of the site. The 82sq meter project demonstrated how innovative use of space and construction techniques can unlock underutilised urban spaces within our cities to provide future housing solutions.