operable façade clads 'pop-up house' by figr architecture studio in australia

figr architecture studio has clad the ‘pop-up house’ in an operable façade of custom-fabricated, mechanical screens that control solar access while offering views to the natural surroundings. located in essendon, australia, the family residence focuses on engaging with the urban realm by providing opportunities for interaction between inhabitants, neighbours and passersby. the upper volume of the building hovers above a landscaped zone, where the home’s central open courtyard is located, topped with a netted area that creates an additional space for play.all images by tom blachford

figr architecture studio has designed the front of ‘pop-up house’ as a sympathetic nod to the familiar roof forms of the surrounding vernacular. the house is situated in a predominantly heritage setting, and seeks to counter the status quo of a new family home in such areas. ‘a common approach with new homes is to occupy majority of the site whilst retaining minimal front setback with a fortified sheer built form that shuts itself off from the public realm interface,’ notes the australian studio. ‘our approach was to create a home that challenges the aforementioned notion in order to discover opportunities in the often static, underutilised and forgotten.’

from the street side, the upper volume of the building appears to hover above a landscaped zone that marks the beginning of a journey into the house. existing neighboring brick walls that surround this zone become internal edges, establishing a dialogue between old and new. the hovering ‘belly’ of the upper level creates an undercroft that takes residents and guests into the house through lush, landscaped gardens that can adapt and evolve in use.

the 215 sqm home embraces in-between spaces that contain multiple programs. the study, which is positioned within a thoroughfare, activates an otherwise underutilized threshold. at the same time, the outdoor terrace extends into a netted area, making use of the in-between space to create additional zones for play while allowing light to enter the front courtyard. ‘to further remove the idea of redundancy, the underbelly of the dwelling doubles up as a carport, an extension of the workshop and informal entertaining area,’ explains figr. ‘this mouldable zone provides long term flexibility for adaption of use.’

the ‘pop-up house’ is designed to be durable and long lasting, with high quality thermal insulation throughout the walls, roofs and floors, under slab insulation and thermally broken timber framed double glazed windows. the roof is clad in surfmist colorbond, which reduces heat build-up in the home and the heat island effect in our cities. additionally, a 5000-liter water tank has been buried in the front yard to capture all the roof water, which can then be reused to flush toilets and garden irrigation.