The result of a limited paid competition, this monumental contemporary house was designed for a client with a strong connection to the arts who wanted, as mentioned in the brief, an ‘iconic’ house – one that would be a showcase for art and sculpture but also respond to the views over the Swan River and to the Perth City skyline.
With Hunt winning the competition for a scheme that has remained virtually identical to the original, the house is referred to as the ‘Bat Cave.’ First named by Alan Brierty, as the entry to the garage reminded him of Batman driving into the Bat Cave from the 1970s TV shows. We all laughed at the time, but the name stuck! Along with a brief to create a home for art, the owners requested a place that they could age in, and that would operate off-grid with a 100,000-litre underground water tank and arrangement to self-generate power, 15Kw of Solar PV for this inner city abode.
As the site falls between three and four metres to the street, access to the front door is via a gentle ramp – complete with a sculpture entry statement designed by artist Simon Gilby that creates an impressive canopy before the intercom is even reached. Conceived as two integrated homes and a shared garage, one for the owners and the other for one of her daughters, it’s akin to walking into a gallery as much as a beautiful contemporary home, where there is both a level of connectiveness as much as independence. The daughter’s suite, for example, accessed with its own separate entrance, is spread across two levels, with her own kitchen and living area and a bedroom/ensuite. Her parents’ suite is significantly larger, with a generous open plan living area that features expressed concrete walls and intimate courtyard vistas. The main ensuite is not only functional but treated like an art form in itself, with a Simon Gilby design hand-chiselled rock sculpture doubling as the shower seat and back. Rather than segment spaces as in more traditional homes, here, spaces tend to merge effortlessly, with the few doors, such as the sliding doors separating the two units, disappearing into cavity walls to create privacy at night or other times of the day.
To complement the extensive use of exposed off form concrete, Hunt used timber in areas, along with a rich gorgeous green marble in the kitchen which connects with the landscaping. While many prefer to be on show when preparing meals for family or guests, here the kitchen includes a generous back-of-house arrangement where the pleasure comes from preparing food rather than seeing empty dishes on a bench from the living area. A bespoke island bench is a beautiful piece of furniture designed and handcrafted by Nathan Day.
The plan form is an hourglass with a sweeping double curved roof, which creates a wave-like space. The internal ceilings are clad in an acoustically attenuated timber-battened (Vulcan timber battens) ceiling that appears to ‘float’ above the living spaces. Subtle lighting, as much for aesthetics, creates warmth and texture juxtaposed with the concrete, allowing the views to be the heroes. Hunt also included a generous glazed open pavilion adjacent to the living area to allow the elements, such as the rain, to feel enmeshed with living with nature. Framed by perforated Corten steel, concrete, and timber, there is a constant reminder of being on the edge of the Swan River as much as the ever-present skyline of Perth.
The Making of Bat Cave Como | Credits: RT Films
Project images are coming in 2026.