The existing old sandstone villa at House 42 provided the client with limited visibility of the gardens and inhibited the penetration natural light. The brief demanded new building areas that address this deficiency by being light and open to maximise the beautiful garden setting.

The design of House 42 was conceived as a simple masonry form from which a large opening has been carved.  This simple formal gesture accommodates programmatic complexities such as an elevated floor level, and allows strong visual links to surrounding landscape and features. The architecture is simplified, and detailing reduced, such that the sculptural form of the building is clearly read within the landscape.  

Material and detailing decisions were well considered and developed in line with the overall building concept.  One example of this trait is the positioning glazing for the transparent facades which is deeply recessed to accentuate the solid masonry form.  Solid insertions within these facades, such as the kitchen and fireplace, stop short of the ceiling such that the building form is unobstructed from inside and out.