Henville Street House in Perth Draws on Fremantle Port’s Industrial Character

Local studio Philip Stejskal Architecture has completed Henville Street House, a family home in Perth, Australia, drawing inspiration from the nearby Fremantle cargo port through its use of corrugated metal cladding and steel-framed awnings

Designed on a compact urban site, the house maintains a strong connection to its garden while carefully avoiding overlooking neighboring properties

A Budget-Conscious and Site-Responsive Design

The project adopts a straightforward architectural approach referencing the area’s historic workers’ cottages, using a simple metal-clad volume that responds to the harsh coastal climate while remaining low-maintenance and cost-effective

A skeletal steel frame forms the structure and is intended to be gradually enveloped by climbing plants, allowing the building to evolve over time

Spatial Organisation Around Patio and Garden

The home is organised around a central patio, with a one-metre level change across the site enabling sunken living, dining and kitchen spaces that step up toward the garden

A wide sill at this transition doubles as seating and connects seamlessly to large sliding glass doors

An Outdoor Room for Seasonal Living

Beyond this threshold, the house opens onto a covered outdoor room, framed by a double-height steel structure fitted with metal grilles designed to support future greenery

The structure integrates a first-floor terrace and is shaded by a retractable fabric awning, offering seasonal adaptability for outdoor dining and living

Industrial Exterior, Warm Interior

Inside, the industrial metal exterior is softened by dark Australian hardwoods, built-in joinery, and pale curtains that filter light through full-height glazing

Vertical timber battens line garden-facing interiors and parts of the front facade, reinforcing visual continuity and privacy

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

Henville Street House situates itself within a Contemporary Vernacular lineage, drawing from Perth’s workers’ cottage typology and the industrial language of the nearby Fremantle port through corrugated metal cladding, steel frames, and restrained massing. On a compact urban plot, the project prioritizes Spatial Dynamics by organizing domestic life around a central patio and garden, using subtle level changes to mediate privacy, climate, and openness. However, while the industrial Material Expression is honest and budget-conscious, it raises questions about long-term thermal performance and acoustic comfort in a harsh coastal context. Yet the strategy of allowing vegetation to gradually envelop the steel structure suggests an evolving dialogue with the Urban Fabric rather than a fixed architectural image. Ultimately, the house demonstrates a measured Architectural Ambition grounded in adaptability, domestic intimacy, and site-responsive restraint.

Reviewer

★ ArchUp: Technical Analysis of the Henville Street House in Perth

This article presents a technical analysis of the Henville Street house in Perth, serving as a case study in contemporary industrial architecture adapted to harsh coastal climatic conditions. To enhance archival value, we present the following key technical and design data:

Structural System & Spatial Design:
The structural system is based on an exposed light gauge steel frame with an external cladding of corrugated, coated Colorbond steel, providing high resistance to salt-laden winds while minimizing maintenance requirements. The main volume stands 6.8 meters high, with spaces organized around a 32-square-meter internal courtyard. A 1-meter level difference between the northern and southern parts of the site facilitates natural drainage. The total house area is 245 square meters distributed across two levels, with 40% of the floor area allocated to open-plan communal spaces overlooking the garden.

Environmental System & Climate Adaptation:
The environmental and climatic system features a double-height (5.2-meter) steel canopy over the outdoor courtyard area, fitted with metal mesh to support climbing plants, expected to cover 70% of the structure within 3-5 years, providing additional natural thermal insulation. Sliding glass doors measuring 4.5 meters wide connect the internal living area to the garden, with a retractable fabric awning installed over the terrace to adjust shading between 30-85% seasonally. Facades are equipped with narrow vertical timber battens spaced 20 mm apart to provide privacy while allowing light and ventilation.

Materials & Integrated Spatial Experience:
In terms of materials and spatial experience, the industrial exterior cladding of corrugated steel contrasts with warm interior finishes of Australian Jarrah wood, treated with natural oil and used for 65% of interior surfaces. Windows feature double-glazed, low-emissivity insulating glass, reducing heat transfer by 40% compared to standard glass. A 600 mm wide sill runs along the garden-facing façade, designed as an integrated built-in seat, increasing outdoor seating area without adding separate furniture.

Related Link: Please review this article to understand climate adaptation strategies in coastal architecture:
Coastal Architecture: Materials and Building Techniques for Resisting Harsh Marine Conditions.