LAMA House

LAMA House entails the joys and frustrations a few of us get to experience. Designing for one’s own parents is at once a privilege, opportunity and challenge. It’s been clear that the project cannot be divorced from our family’s story:

The sacrifice and generosity of my parents;
The influence of our Hong Kong heritage;
Childhood memories of the Rochedale area;
Shared experiences amongst the mid-century villas of Kep, Cambodia.

These were all sources of inspiration that helped to shape the eventual outcome.

The site sits within a sea of McMansions in the Rochedale Estates. It is elevated above street level, forming a backdrop to a suburban park; it also sits at a bend in the street, mediating a transition between the monotony of the Estate, and the large, classically styled acreage home from which the Estate developed.

The home engages this setting with care. The palette and form is vaguely familiar to its neighbours, and somewhat constrained by the Estate’s by-laws – but it’s been brought together in a more skilful and intentional way.

At its core is the Library – a space not only for books, but enjoyment of music, especially the cello. It faces a small courtyard, around which the home revolves – an angled “Living Pavilion”, the space for hospitality and family gatherings; and a L-shape layout containing the private areas.

On approach, visitors must journey around the perimeter and are first confronted by a pandanus tree. Stepping up to the Entry Court presents an alternate framed view of nature – more hemmed in and powerful. An invitation to pause.

Past the front door and into the Living Pavilion, the visitor is welcomed with forceful immediacy into the life of the family. A surprising, soaring barn-like ceiling preserves childhood memories of strawberry farms in the area and honours those who came before us, while courtyards at each end places one’s attention again on the timeless and ever-changing beauty of nature. These elements make tangible a story that’s bigger and more ethereal than our own.

The visitor is drawn into the space, centred on a custom dining table around which the family gathers. It’s a space that’s pleasant enough if experienced alone, but enriched and whole when gatherings take place.

As one progresses further, each space reveals a different relationship to the context. Yet there are common themes of generous volumes, controlled views, an emphasis on flow and greenery, and a sense of luxury expressed through simplicity and quality.

Our culture’s influence can be seen in the rigid demarcation what’s “outside” and “in”, and the emphasis on shared experiences as a family. A stacked bedroom layout allows flexibility for multi-generational living and future adaptation.

LAMA House is a living expression of family in the midst of 21st century life. It may not push technical boundaries, but it embodies our story, our culture, and hope for the future – and shows how even a young Architect can skilfully intertwine every individual element within a project to create a successful outcome.