The double garage at Middleton is designed to accommodate trade vehicles. That requirement gives this Johnsonville infill home a practical starting point, with working life forming part of the brief from the outset.

The owners also needed a two-bedroom dwelling with shared living, outdoor space and a private main suite. On a challenging hillside site, these functions are organised across three storeys. The section becomes the means of giving each a place without treating the house as a single undifferentiated volume.

Modal Architecture positioned the garage at the base, with the kitchen and living spaces on the level above. The common rooms open to outdoor living, retaining a direct relationship with the site even within a vertically arranged home. This gives the main living floor its own outward-facing role beyond the practical requirements below.

The upper storey accommodates the main suite. A walk-in wardrobe, ensuite and private balcony establish a separate part of the home, with an outlook towards the surrounding hills. Its position distinguishes retreat from the activity of shared living on the floor beneath.

These relationships give the building a clear sequence: vehicles and working requirements at the base, gathering in the middle and private accommodation above. Each level contributes something different to the owners’ use of the property.

Middleton gives the owners an infill home that supports the practical demands of the owners’ work alongside their domestic life. The garage has the capacity it needs, while the living floor and upper suite retain their own outdoor connections and places to enjoy the Johnsonville setting.