Earlier this month four townhouses designed by Green Sheep Collective in collaboration with builder Elyte Focus won the prestigious 2017 National Association of Building Designers Building of the Year.

Green Sheep director Shae Parker McCashen said the homes in the Melbourne suburb of Alphington had been designed to sit respectfully in the suburb’s distinctive streetscape.

“Alphington is a really sensitive suburb with a beautiful history. There’s a lot of trees, it’s green. Turning a block with one house on it into one with four townhouses, and doing it in a way that sits very well in the street, was a big challenge.”

The townhouses’ innovative designs included courtyards in the centre of each home. Those helped minimise dark internal spaces, which was a common problem in those types of buildings.

“Rather than maximising floor area we’ve prioritised a real quality of space,” Shae said.

“The central courtyards enable natural cross-ventilation and means the vast majority of spaces in each house get north light. They certainly all get natural light.

“There’s a really great sense of space and flexibility into the internal and external spaces.”

Shae was heavily influenced by two houses she lived in as a child.

“I was actually born in an architecturally-designed house in Ravenswood, which was a bit unique. My parents built that home with friends and family.

“When I was six or seven-years-old we moved into another passive solar designed home.

“That really instilled in me an appreciation for good design. It can be simple, respectful, sit well in the landscape and be comfortable to live in.”

Shae had designed a number of houses in the Bendigo area, including two yet-to-be built passive town houses in Quarry Hill.

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