Designed as the architect’s own home, Northcote House embraces compact living through flexible, highly crafted interiors. The first floor houses an open kitchen and lounge, while the ground floor contains a library and two bedrooms. © Paul Loh Courtesy LLDS
“We wanted to experiment with how the tool we use to make architecture can also be used to make ornamentation,” shares Paul Loh, partner at LLDS.
To sculpt the scalloped concrete walls, LLDS used a V-shaped CNC router cutter for the dense foam formliner—which was reused to insulate the roof—creating a dynamic texture while remaining economical. On the roof, the construction process continues to inform the ornamentation. In collaboration with TGA Engineers, the architects introduced arches to stabilize the timber structure while reducing material and creating an arresting, curved silhouette. And the facade trellis—made up of 385 manually bent galvanized tubes—was created with a hydraulic pipe-bending machine and aided by augmented reality—a process that reduced on-site waste while enhancing the overall design.
© Paul Loh Courtesy LLDS
However, the site itself posed certain constraints. In the tight urban lot, the designers needed to maximize every inch of the 883-square-foot home for it to remain fluid and functional. “The constrained site created an opportunity for us to experiment with compact living in the city,” explains Loh. “We deliberately created many ambiguous, almost unprogrammed spaces in the house, so it remained flexible.” In this spirit, the car park doubles as a summer barbecue spot, the front staircase is widened to accommodate seating, and an elevated roof garden supports local ecology while reducing the urban heat effect.
Designed as a case study for small-space city living—and the architects’ own home—Northcote House demonstrates how design rooted in contemporary fabrication technology can open the door to new models for urban housing. With a clear architectural vision and dynamic details—from the 13 roof lights that bring natural light down to the depths of the home to a stunning spiral staircase enshrouded in metal beams—the project is a testament to the power that technology wields to shape architecture.