River House

River House sits on the banks of the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia, and was designed by Neil Cownie Architect as a multi-generational home for an extended family. Rather than a single residence, the brief produced two adjacent houses: River House itself, and a companion house for the grandparents alongside.

The clients' UK ties shaped a conservative external aesthetic, while the interiors open generously to the Australian outdoors. Warm materials thread the two scales together. Copper cladding wraps the exterior; timber floors and natural stone walls greet guests inside; almost every room captures a view of the river.

Passive solar design and cross ventilation pull winter sun in and keep summer heat out. A glass-roofed terrace, with automatic blinds and a vine to come, runs down to a pool deck and links the two houses through shared outdoor space. From the grandparents' window the cubby "cave" in the garden stays in view, so the children can be watched at play.

The plan is built for adaptation. As the children grow, rooms reconfigure: cabinetwork slides between bedroom and ensuite, acoustic ceilings sit throughout, and long-stay guests have a separate suite so they can come and go independently. The grandparents' house connects to the children's house through its external rooms, which makes everyday care, and the occasional grandparental babysit, straightforward.

River House was a 2016 Good Design Australia Awards finalist in the Residential Interior and Residential Architecture categories.

Architecture, interior design and furniture selection by Neil Cownie Architect. Photography by Robert Frith and Angelita Bonetti.