Located in the city of Scarborough, in the Western region of Australia, stands House A—an award winning project predominantly built with recycled materials. It is masterclass of concrete as a worthy protagonist, but also as a conceptual exercise on the dynamics of an open volume. The outer shell emotes simplicity, an ambiguous tone to what is actually an uncondensed experience on the inside.

Taking a deeper look at House A, which has been designed by Whispering Smith Architects, it offers a very interesting interplay between spaces; as the three storey volume offers different usabilities yet precise cohesion throughout. The underground garage acts as the foundation, with the social and garden on the ground floor while the loft sits atop. Each area offers a streamlined path, as the absence of doors suggests free-flowing possibilities (the only exception is the door for the water closet).

Two materials reign supreme: recycled concrete panels and whitewashed recycled bricks. As clever visual devices offering variance in each ambient, both materials bestows details of colour and texture. The interior design offers a slew of shapes, but all very in synch as well. The aforementioned openness is signalled by the visual lightness of the vast and open windows, especially with the boundless frontier between the living area and the lush green courtyard—clad with a secluded outdoor shower.

House A is a playful argument for minimalism as a prerogative for openness reigning in all aspects of domestic life. As the traditional idea of privacy is courageously replaced by absolute integration of all areas.