The proposed new single level residence is to be a minimal-impact and environmentally respectful addition to the landscape. The house is to be read as a singular silhouetted object in the landscape. Given the beauty of the local environment the house is designed to blend in with its surrounds rather than compete with it. The primarily, black external fabric of the proposal is suggestive of local reference links such as the existing rock fence along the sites northern boundary and the existing dead-tree to the sites southern boundary.
The house also celebrates the landscape through a series of curated and narrated views from internal spaces.
The proposed site location is a low-vegetated, central rocky outcrop which progressively slopes down into a gully. The site location offers some great opportunities to utilise solar & weather orientation, curated views of the local area and harvest breeze / air circulation to control the internal temperature of the house at all times. The proposed dwelling utilises the slope of the site to create internal space by tearing the floor plain of the house down the site and maintaining a constant overall height externally. By doing this, the experience of the house becomes a curated journey throughout, where the finale ends with a brilliant panoramic view of the surrounding valley and beyond.
The house itself, has been conceived as a single entity made up of 4 interconnected zones, linked by a central courtyard. The idea of a singular yet fragmented configuration was inspired by the client`s cultural heritage to Sri-lanka and the architectural works of SriLankan master Geoffrey Bawa. The cleverly composed fragmentation of Bawa`s plans blur the lines of interior and exterior whilst creating an overall homogenous form that is fragmented into various spacial and environmental conditions. Similar, the configuration of spaces in the proposed dwelling and their relationship to the landscape both internally and externally, allows similar conditions to arise.
The material palette chosen is a combination of hemp or hemp-crete walls which have fantastic thermal insulation and bushfire protective properties, with high-spec glazing to celebrate selective views the site and surrounding landscape, native Australian timbers to reference the local environment and aluminium windows and colourbond for long-term durability in the environmentally diverse and harsh climatic environment.
The clients have a keen interest in environmentally sustainable design and living. It is proposed to introduce solar panels, collect rain water for the watering of gardens and toilet flushing and most importantly look at minimal environmental impact construction methodologies for the new proposed dwelling
