Houses Australia — February 2018

02 Thefloorsitsclosetothe

ground, maintaining a

connection with the site

and allowing the children

to easily step out onto

the earth. Artwork (L-R):

Narrabri Nakamarra;

Minnie Pwerle.

astheeyesweepsoverthetreetopsandtheirthick,obscuringfoliage.
Thetemptationtodesignahomethatjutsoutwardandupward
wouldhaveluredsomewantingtograbmaximumviews,butDavid
optedforamorediscreetandrecessiveapproach.“Itwasimportant
to keep the home close to the ground, so that the young children
caneasilystepoutontotheearth,”hesays.Theessentialgrounding
of the house in the landscape is also a paean to the majesty of what
liesbeyond–thebush,theocean,thestarsandsky–andthissimple,
almost monastic box establishes an elemental shrine for observing
these,ratherthananoverpoweringmonument.
From the street entry point, the house is indeed invisible,
tucked in above and behind the curving rampart of the driveway

andcourtyardwalls.Anarrowchasm-likepathandstaircaseslices

through the curves, gradually revealing more of the piece. But it is

notuntilarrivalatthefrontdoorthatthefacadeisfullylegible.

Thelongrectangularpaviliontouchestheearthatitsnorthern

endandhoversametreorsoaboveitatthesouth.Itiswrappedin

a carapace of sliding battened timber screens, rendering degrees of

light, privacy and outlook subject to the whims of the inhabitants.

ComparisonswithaJapaneseteahouseortemplepavilionspring

tomind.Likethesebuildings,thepalettehereisorganicandthe

craftsmanship apparent. The outlook from each room along the

longskinnyspacealsohasitsownpointofdifference,anddirect

connection to the garden. The spotted gum battens are fast silvering

5

4

2 +1 powder room

Site: 8,745 m^2

Floor: 260 m^2

Design: 6mths

Build: 9 mths

(family home)

$3,000 per m^2

1 Entry

2 Garden terrace

3 Pool

4 Kitchen

5 Scullery

Plan 1:400

0

(^43)
2
1
7
9
8
99
910 6
5
5 m
6 Dining
7 Living
8 Laundry
9 Bedroom
(^0210) Robe