Certified Passive House · Torrens Park, Adelaide SATorrens Park
Passive House.

Project overview

Shaped by
the land.

Set in the leafy Adelaide suburb of Torrens Park, this certified Passive House responds to a long site with a fall of about three metres along its length. Rather than fighting the slope, the design embraces it: a series of split levels reduces excavation, minimises retaining walls and creates a lively sense of movement through the home.

The project is made up of two volumes, the main residence and a garage with studio, set along the length of the site and connected by landscaped outdoor spaces that blur the line between home and garden.

The design

Two volumes,
one connected landscape.

Rather than resisting the natural slope, the design lets the land shape the home, and the home celebrate the land.

The planning is driven by orientation and performance. With a north-facing side aspect, the home draws natural light deep into the living spaces while keeping privacy from the neighbours. Carefully placed openings and planting frame the views and connect every room to the garden.

At the heart of the design is a series of outdoor rooms and courtyards. They link the spaces together and act as environmental buffers, supporting natural ventilation and catching the cooling south-east breezes.

"Thoughtful design can turn constraints into opportunities. Here, a sloping site became the home's greatest asset."

As a certified Passive House, the home combines a highly insulated envelope, airtight construction and heat recovery ventilation for a steady indoor climate all year, with very little heating or cooling needed. The materials are restrained and timeless, letting the home sit quietly in its leafy setting.