Seven affordable townhouses in the Southern Highlands region, southwest of Sydney
Tahmoor is a regional community 100 km south-west of Sydney in the picturesque Southern Highlands region. The area is well-served by public transport with an express train to the city.
Within this community, ThomsonAdsett has been chosen to design seven townhouses with between two and four bedrooms. To enable affordable rental accommodation in the area, each dual key townhouse is further divided into separate self-contained dwellings with shared kitchens and living spaces.
The site location for each dwelling has been specifically considered and responds to the orientation, wayfinding, and privacy. Private secure parking, private gardens, and predominantly north-facing living spaces are afforded to all dwellings. The scale, bulk, and form of the buildings respond to the streetscape in a sympathetic manner and is consistent with the other two-level dwellings along the street. The local council was complimentary of the articulation of the form to introduce a more human scale and visual intrigue to the design.
The material selection is an integral component of the design thinking to enable the building to present a fresh level of detail to standard townhouse developments. Masonry brickwork from the local brickyard is the predominant material. The large proportion of glass further opens the interior spaces to the outdoor garden rooms, leading to a smooth connection between the interior and landscape spaces.
These dwellings respond environmentally to key sustainability standards with excellent thermal mass, cross ventilation, and solar amenity. Each dwelling will have stand-alone solar hot water and photovoltaic arrays for power generation.