When choosing your new home site, one of the most valuable considerations is the orientation of your land. Put simply, this means the direction your front door faces, which can make a big difference to how sunlight, warmth, and comfort impact your home at different times of the year.
North Facing Homes
During a Melbourne winter, the sun is lower in the sky, travelling east to west and towards the north. That means the front of your house will get most of the winter sun, which is great if your bedroom is at the front. In summer, as the sun travels its arc further towards the south, your bedroom will remain cool while living areas at the back of your home – including your rear garden – will be filled with light.
South Facing Homes
The back of your south-facing home will be cooled by shade during summer’s hottest months, while in winter, your rear living spaces and garden will be filled with light. For these reasons, many buyers prefer this orientation, as it makes internal climate control – and therefore energy efficiency – easier to manage, and late afternoon summer barbecues and outdoor entertaining more comfortable.
East Facing Homes
If you’re an early riser or you simply love mornings, this is the orientation for you. With your bedroom at the front of your home, you can wake up to brilliant sunlight every day of the year. You will enjoy the golden glow of the afternoon sun, making backyards ideal for evening BBQs or family time. Thoughtful design elements like shading and glazing can manage warmth, keeping interiors cool while still embracing natural light. Your design will need to consider shade at the back of your home to protect rear living spaces from the full force of summer’s afternoon heat, but this is a simple fix. Many homes are designed specifically for this orientation.
West Facing Homes
The sun always sets in the west, which makes this orientation extremely popular. It means your rear living spaces and back garden are protected from the impact of scorching heat on those extreme, thirty-six-degree summer days. During the cool winter months, with the sun lower in the sky, thoughtfully positioned north-facing windows will help fill your home with radiant light and warmth.
Why Orientation Matters
Whichever direction your front door faces, to maximise your orientation – and your land – your home design will need to consider all four points of the compass, as well as all four seasons of the year.
Orientation influences how you live in your home every day. By choosing a block with the right orientation for your lifestyle, and a home design that takes advantage of that orientation, you can create spaces that feel bright and welcoming, while also delivering energy efficiency throughout the year.
Explore the available House and Land Packages at Meridian and you’re sure to find the perfect block orientation and home design for your family.
