73 MacLaren Drive

This family home is set in a heavily treed sloping bush block in Yallingup. The client had signed up with a project builder but were surprised at the costs of their site works allowance, and the high sand mound resulting from placing a large rectangular house on a sloping site. My approach was to step the slab and to separate the house into smaller elements in order to work with the landscape. The choice of a timber frame construction and skillion roof allows a more modulated result which blends naturally with the landscape.

A parent suite and office is separated from the teen wing by the split level double volume living space. There is a new tree view at each turn, from the grass trees framed in the hall picture window, to the marri tree tops in the clerestories. Breaking the house into smaller units allowed for changes in material colour and texture. There are two outdoor living areas, the main one facing south west into the forest and the sunset, and a smaller verandah off the kitchen which gets the morning sun.

'We used Ingrid from Dunsborough Design for our recent build and were very happy . Ingrid is extremely easy to work with, discussing ideas and bringing many fabulous design elements to our drawings throughout our design stage and then hands on during construction, if we wanted to make a change. Her eye for details, great design and practicality were invaluable to us. She is an exceptional architect and building designer.' Cathy Sampson

Date of completion - 2017

Building Contractor - M-Sky Homes

Structural Engineer - Structerre