Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home

Kensington Lighthouse by Tandem Design Studio & Dominique Ng

Architect: Tandem Design Studio & Dominique Ng Photographs: Sonia Mangiapane article Size: 148 m2 Location: Kensington, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Tags: Urban Homes, New Homes

When Tim Hill and Dominique Ng from Tandem Design Studio found this narrow Kensington site squeezed between a former factory and its kitchen, they could see potential where others saw problems. At just 160 square meters and overshadowed by a 4 metre high wall to the North, others felt the site was ruined by the oppressive wall. But these two talented architects developed an idea to grab light and reflect it deep into the home, making the most of a difficult site…

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Urban Homes, Polycarbonate

The delightful response to this challenging site is Kensington Lighthouse. The secret to bringing light into the home - in spite of the wall - is North-facing ‘sunshells’, designed to capture and reflect light. Clerestory windows above the wall let the light in, while the curved form of the roof bounces the light down into the home.

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Timber Houses, Plywood Kitchen, Concrete Floors, Eames Chairs, Pendant Lighting, Staircases, Exposed Rafters, Dining Areas, Clerestory Windows

"We developed the sunshells to bounce light down into the interior. When we'd finished, everybody commented on the quality of light reflected down into the interior, you get a sense of every cloud passing." - Tim Hill, Tandem Design Studio

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Timber Houses, Clerestory Windows, Desks

There are two sunshell pavilions separated by a central courtyard. The West shell, closest to the street, contains the entry, living, kitchen and dining. Appearing to float above on a platform mezzanine level is the study, bathroom and guest bedroom. The Eastern sunshell across the courtyard houses the master bedroom and ensuite above a double carport accessed from the rear laneway.

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Timber Houses, Concrete Floors, Pendant Lighting, Staircases, Dining Areas, Clerestory Windows

"The sunshells are anchored on a vertical wall and appear hover as the site descends to the rear laneway. You get a sense of living along a wall, with natural light shining and fading overhead. The house has an unexpected sense of space in a tight little block." - Tim Hill

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Timber Houses, Staircases

A narrow link connecting the two pavilions and housing services is pushed hard against the northern boundary, matching the height of the wall. This emphasises the cliff-like nature of the wall, which is so expertly countered by light spilling down the warm timber veneer.

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Joinery, Concrete Floors, Pendant Lighting, Living Areas, Coffee Tables
Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Plywood Kitchen, Concrete Floors, Staircases, Kitchens, Bookshelves

Externally, the curved form of Kensington Lighthouse’s sunshells use COLORBOND® steel - a logical choice, being lightweight, flexible and, of course, an excellent roofing material. As the roof bends down to become the southern wall of the home, a combination of grey Ironstone® and blue Deep Ocean® sheets helps to break down the bulk of the building, reinterpreting the patterned fretwork of surrounding workers’ cottages.

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Outdoor Areas, COLORBOND® Steel, Ironstone®, Deep Ocean®

This pattern is repeated inside, where a combination of Tasmanian Oak and Victorian Ash veneer is used. The slight variation in timber colour adds a richness and variation to the interior which is further broken up by a regular grid of exposed laminated veneer lumber (LVL) beams supporting the sunshells.

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Polycarbonate

Timber framed windows and translucent Danpalon polycarbonate panels makeup the West, North and Eastern walls and are carefully placed to frame views and admit light while still maintaining privacy. The Lighthouse is bathed in diffuse light during the day and glows with soft warm light at night thanks to the translucent panels.

Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home
Ingenious 'Sun Shells' Grab Light and Reflect It Deep Into This Home

Kensington Lighthouse is a beautiful, innovative response to a challenging, constrained site. The sense of volume and light in this home, make it feel exceptional.

Tell us what you like about Kensington Lighthouse

Get more projects like Kensington Lighthouse, delivered.