Knutsford Stage 1

Category: Residential

Location: Fremantle

Status: Completed 2015

Awards:

AIA (National) The Frederick Romberg Award for Residential Architecture (Multiple Housing) 2016

AIA (WA Chapter) The Harold Krantz Award for Residential Architecture 2016

Project Team:

Michael Patroni

Tobias Busch

Dimmity Walker

Clayton Edwards

Builder:

Georgiou

Photographer:

Robert Frith

Project Description:

The Knutsford project is a multiple residential infill development on former industrial land on the eastern edge of the historic port city of Fremantle.

Our design approach tells the evolutionary tale of the ‘child of Fremantle’, inheriting its parent DNA; a set of outstanding local, social, cultural, urban and infrastructural assets, and responding to the modern context reflective of today’s society and the need for more compact, affordable, high quality development.

The aspiration was to create a new generation urban condition that would be distinctly ‘Fremantle’, be integrated with and reinforce the urban, social, cultural and commercial vibrancy of the city.

The architectural language is simple and direct, the built form achieves a significant urban edge to Knutsford and Amherst Streets by maintaining maximum height and keeping the buildings as close as possible to the street. The site-specific design responds to the topography, geology and flora, and achieves optimal orientation.

All car parking is via the laneways, freeing the street elevation for living rooms or adaptable spaces rather than crossovers and garage doors. Dwellings are courtyard orientated or ‘upside down’ houses with main living rooms and terraces on the first floor and flexible spaces below providing for diverse uses.