The Strettle Street Collective: final design for Thornbury 6 townhouse project
Our project near Merri Creek in Thornbury features six double-storey townhouses of around 130 sqm of living. Measuring around 1430 sqm with a 20 metre frontage and 70 metre length, the most exciting thing about the site is its elevated position. Sitting close to the top of McComas Hill with a east – west orientation, the site has sweeping views to the south towards the city.
The Pillar+Post design responds to the site context and client brief in a number of ways.
The collective wanted roof decks to ensure the Merri Creek parkland and city views are optimised. To keep the dwellings within the height limit, maximise views and prevent overlooking, Pillar+Post nestled the roof decks within the skillion roof lines of the rear dwellings and the front dwelling which features a quarter hip roof line to maintain neighbourhood character to the street.
The buildings themselves have been designed with an eye to simplicity in construction. The modern box-like rectangular forms are softened by not only the selection of recycled cream clinkers in a nod to the numerous 1930s- 1950s clinker brick dwellings in the area, but the use of intricate brickwork patterning on the east and west elevations. The brickwork patterning provides visual interest and a segue to the perforated brick wall on the front unit, which provides this dwelling with secluded private open space and a seemless integration with it’s front garden.
Architectural horizontal timber screening to the north and south elevations provide a practical and sculptural solution to overlooking and shading, while the site’s east-west orientation has allowed us to provide generous courtyards to maximise northern private open space and enhance the amenity of the ground floor living spaces.
Advertising is due to commence within a fortnight. We have worked extensively with Darebin City Council to ensure we responded to their issues so we now hope the community gives us some positive feedback to the application.