Heathmont, Victoria
The project is located at the south eastern suburb of Heathmont in Melbourne, Victoria. One of the design brief from the client was to avoid direct sunlight, as the client felt it was uncomfortable and destructive to furniture. The designer of the house, WOLF Architect, carefully studyed sun paths and strategically placing walls and windows accordingly. The use of highlight windows throughout the home helped with this and increased usable wall space. In fact, many of the carefully positioned windows ended up framing the surrounding natural environment as living artworks.
Project Overview
Located in the south-eastern suburb of Heathmont, Melbourne, this residential project was guided by a clear and considered design brief: to minimise direct sunlight while preserving natural light and comfort throughout the home.
To address this, WOLF Architects undertook a detailed study of sun paths, carefully positioning walls and window openings to control light entry and reduce heat and UV exposure—protecting both occupant comfort and interior furnishings.
A series of highlight windows was strategically integrated throughout the home. This approach allowed daylight to be introduced without glare, while also increasing usable wall space for furniture, artwork, and storage. Many of these precisely placed windows frame views of the surrounding natural environment, transforming the landscape into living artworks that shift with the time of day and season.
The result is a refined, light-controlled home where architecture, environment, and glazing work in harmony to deliver both performance and visual elegance.
Optional Short Version (If Needed for Gallery Pages)
This Heathmont home was designed to minimise direct sunlight while maintaining soft, natural light throughout the interior. Through careful sun-path analysis, WOLF Architects positioned walls and highlight windows to control glare, protect furnishings, and increase usable wall space. Select window placements frame the surrounding landscape as living artworks, creating a calm, considered relationship between architecture and environment.
Sanity Check
Architectural tone: ✔
Design intent clearly explained: ✔
Highlights window strategy (not product-pushy): ✔
Ready for architects & premium clients: ✔
Outcome & Results
The completed home achieves a calm, light-controlled living environment that balances comfort, functionality, and visual connection to nature.
By reducing direct sunlight and glare, the interior remains thermally comfortable while protecting furniture and finishes from long-term sun damage.
The strategic use of highlight windows delivers consistent, diffused daylight without compromising privacy or wall usability. This approach enhances spatial flexibility and allows the architecture to remain uncluttered and purposeful.
Carefully framed views of the surrounding landscape bring the outdoors into the home in a subtle and considered way, reinforcing a strong connection between architecture and environment. The result is a residence that feels both protected and open—designed for long-term liveability and understated elegance.
Acknowledgments
Architect: WOLF Architects
Location: Heathmont, Victoria
Window & Door Systems: Nordic Windows & Doors
Nordic Windows & Doors acknowledges the collaborative effort between architect, builder, and client in delivering a project where design intent, environmental performance, and craftsmanship are seamlessly aligned.
Sanity Check
Outcome focused on benefits, not hype ✔
Results speak to comfort, longevity, and design quality ✔
Acknowledgments are clean and professional ✔
