22m long, 4.6m wide challenge

This house, located in Northcote, Melbourne, Australia, is attracting attention as an example of transforming architectural constraints into creative solutions. This project, completed in 2023 by architectural firm LLDS on an extremely narrow site of only 4.6m wide and 22m long extending east-west, is a modern reinterpretation of the Victorian era terrace house type.

According to industry reports, the key design strategy was to raise the ground level and create a roof garden on top. This vertically solves the problem of green space, which is most often lacking in small residential areas in the city.

Ecological approach and spatial depth

The ‘brown roof’ created on the roof performs an ecological function rather than simply landscaping. Designed to support local ecosystems within an urban environment, this roof garden serves as a habitat for native plants and insects.

The space below the roof garden is surrounded by a free-form wooden structure. Here, the kitchen, dining room, and entrance veranda are spread out like a hall, and this spatial configuration is a modern reproduction of the atmosphere of the large factory lofts and Victorian church halls that remain in the Northcote neighborhood.

Integrated design of materials, acoustics, and thermal efficiency

The richly textured concrete used on the interior walls is not a simple finishing material. This wall provides thermal mass to maintain a stable indoor temperature, while improving the acoustic environment of the restaurant space by reducing flutter echo—a phenomenon in which sound is repeatedly reflected between parallel walls—that can occur in narrow and long spaces.

The architect used products from various brands such as Duravit, Fisher & Paykel, BORA, and Bosch, while also placing custom elements of his own design here and there to enhance the sense of unity in the space. Enzie Spiral Staircase's spiral staircase serves as a visual focal point while compactly resolving vertical movement.

Presenting the future of small urban housing

This project demonstrates the potential of small-lot residential design within the city center. The chronic problem of urban housing, the lack of garden space, was solved with a roof garden, and the limitations of narrow width were overcome with high ceilings and a hall-like sense of space. This house, created through a combination of respect for Victorian architectural typology and sustainable design principles, proves that high-quality housing is possible even in a high-density urban environment.