The Peak House

Sited at the Peak of Whitfield Mountain, with expansive views, this 4 bedroom + 3 bathroom house is an intelligent reinterpretation of city fringe hill slope living. It is an appropriate response to its exposed site, tropical climate and the framed view. The house is anchored to the site with mass footings in order to extend over the peaks edge, heightening the connection between the inside and out. On entering the house, the breezeway frames the view, expressing the conceptual ideology of the houses provocative, elegant but practical outcome.

Articulated at the street level with precast concrete steps, the elevated entry opens onto a central breezeway where filtered natural light, and cross ventilation are ample. An elegant timber floating stair supported by a glass panel further extends the ideology of the indoor-outdoor transparency.

It embraces its natural surroundings providing a sensitive design approach that considers the visual amenity of neighbors and passersby. The house is a considered structural design of mass at ground and lightweight framework above.

The building is a positive approach to sustainable tropical design with its inclusion of highly efficient LED lighting throughout, generous overhangs, lightweight construction to the exposed upper level and ample natural light and cross ventilation.

The Peak House, The Peak Road, Park Ridge Estate, Cairns

Winner: 2015 FNQ Housing and Construction awards, Individual home $751 000- $1.25 Million

Completed: 2015

Photography: Andrew Watson