Swift Parrot House

The Swift Parrot is a single-storey, 135m² family home — the most economical and space-efficient design in the AlterecO2 range.

It features 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a powder room, and a study. Clever joinery transforms the hallway into a hard-working space, incorporating a mudroom, storage, Euro-style laundry, MHRV cupboard, and a tucked-away study at the end.

The kitchen, living, and dining areas stretch along the northern facade, maximising passive solar gain through well-shaded, high-performance windows. Two secondary bedrooms and a master suite are positioned along the southern edge.

Originally designed for common east–west-oriented urban blocks, the compact 9.5m width allows the home to sit close to the southern boundary — opening up the northern side for comfortable indoor–outdoor living. The opposing skillion roofs create a dynamic form that echoes the swift parrot in flight, lifting the façade towards the sun.

What’s in a name?

The house is named for the endangered Swift Parrot, who makes the migratory trip from Tassie to the mainland every year, taking advantage of the flowering gums in Victorian and NSW before heading back home for breeding season. It’s the fastest parrot in the world, but is threatened by habitat loss due to forestry harvesting and urban/agricultural clearing.

We celebrate and acknowledge our connection to the land—each of our homes is named after an endangered Australian animal, highlighting the impact of development on native habitats. As part of this commitment, we donate a percentage of our profits to Bush Heritage Australia to help protect and restore biodiversity.