Australia is getting hotter all the time, thanks in no small part to climate change. A searing ?code red? heatwave hit the country in January 2019, melting roads and breaking records with temperatures up to 16° Celsius (60.8° Fahrenheit) above average ? and these conditions aren?t expected to abate anytime soon. As Australians grapple with the possibility of a sun-scorched future, many aspects of their cities and architecture will have to adjust to a new normal.

A bulky neighbor to the north blocked light to the building site, so the architects designed a light-seeking two-story form with a terrace on the shaded side and a double-height living room on the sunnier end. The large window within this void might allow too much heat into the home if not for a set of smart louvered shades that sense the temperature outside and adjust themselves automatically, screening the room when needed or allowing more light in at cooler times. A slanted, folding roof on the south side of the house gives the living area a cozy feel and helps illuminate the opposite neighbor?s home. The upper-level terrace is a breezy indoor/outdoor space with a handy shape-shifting trick of its own. A moving roof rolls out to cover it in the event of rain or harsh sunlight, and the best part is it can be deployed via smartphone. The glazing in the lower-level living room can also be opened entirely to the outdoors when conditions allow.
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