Triangle House / Molecule Studio

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Exterior PhotographyTriangle House / Molecule Studio - Interior Photography, Kitchen, WindowsTriangle House / Molecule Studio - Image 4 of 39Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Image 5 of 39Triangle House / Molecule Studio - More Images+ 34

Toorak, Australia
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Text description provided by the architects. The Triangle House is a new home in Toorak, designed for a young family of five. The clients’ brief requested a ‘beach house’ in an urban context with design qualities including natural light, robust materials and a strong connection to the landscape. The existing house was a dilapidated single storey Victorian cottage and former milk bar with no site-specific relationship to its prominent corner site.

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Image 4 of 39
© Derek Swalwell

The site has many constraints which had a significant design and budget impact on the new built form: a compact 200sqm triangular boundary; a 100 year old 2.0m diameter underground brick drain along the adjacent ROW boundary; a flood overlay requiring the dwelling to be lifted 1-1.5m above natural ground level; high voltage overhead powerlines to the front street boundary; 3.0m of soft fill underneath; and large neighbouring eucalyptus trees.

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Exterior Photography, Facade
© Derek Swalwell

The architectural form is conceived as an elevated sinuous element, a timber-clad boat sitting on a rocky breakwater. The corner prow of the upper floor projects into the open arena of the street, anchored by the dark recessive ground floor mass, which serves as the negative space between the upper floor and the landscape.

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Image 9 of 39
© Derek Swalwell

The interior is conceived as a container for family living – where shared spaces and areas to retreat are layered vertically. On the ground floor, the compact 75sqm footprint is offset with volume. A generous 3.0m high family zone, with its timber lined ceiling and large full height glazing, dissolves the boundary between the interior and the adjacent landscape.

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Table, Countertop, Lighting, Chair
© Derek Swalwell
Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Image 36 of 39
Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Interior Photography, Shelving
© Derek Swalwell

By contrast, the upper floor is configured as enclosed bedroom spaces for retreat with elongated windows to frame views of the neighbouring trees and urban rooftops.
A black spiral staircase mediates the public ground floor and private upper floor zones.

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Interior Photography, Lighting, Shelving
© Derek Swalwell

The interior materiality draws inspiration from Australian geology and vegetation; the crimson of a eucalyptus before it sheds its bark, the deep green of Wattle leaves, dark pebbled rivers and natural bluestone. The palette layers tonal paints, laminates and terrazzo with vibrant painted colour highlights to children’s bedrooms and upholstery.

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Interior Photography, Bathroom, Sink
© Derek Swalwell

The massing of the new house sits in complement to its neighbours, with adjacent setbacks maintained and a fine rhythm of cladding and fenestration mimicking the narrow cottages within the tight streetscape. The front building setback enables the landscape to mediate the zone between footpath and façade, while the gaps in the fence are large enough to enable a filtered dialogue with the activity on the street (and enable overland flooding to permeate).

Triangle House / Molecule Studio - Interior Photography, Living Room, Sofa
© Derek Swalwell

The Triangle House is a thoughtful architectural response to a challenging site, creating a unique and small footprint home for its growing family.

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Cite: "Triangle House / Molecule Studio" 28 Jan 2019. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/910252/triangle-house-molecule-studio> ISSN 0719-8884

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