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Balancing the brief with the budget was the biggest challenge of this new build in Harcourt, a small regional Victorian town outside of Castlemaine.
That, and responding to the ‘amazing’ yet unconventional landscape, says Sense of Space director and architect Silas Gibson.
The clients — Bonnie and Remy, who are the owners of local cafe Harcourt Coolstore — engaged the architectural practice after purchasing an empty block where they could build a sustainable and cost-effective home for their young family.
An exposed granite outcrop dominates the 1480-square-metre site, stretching the full length alongside an ephemeral creek in the neighbouring vacant lot.
‘We had to deal with: the undulating levels on the site, working around existing vegetation, staying high enough above the creek to avoid any risk of flooding,’ Silas says.
‘It’s such a rare setting. Our approach with the granite outcrop was to take advantage of it as a solid foundation rather than trying to modify it.’
They decided to perch the three-bedroom house on top of the rock formation, which remains as a key element of the landscape.
Positioning the property higher up on the block also provided a sense of privacy for the bedrooms, as steps lead down to a sunken lounge in the living room and an elevated deck — creating more of a connection to the creek.
In line with passive design principles, insulation was ‘maxed out’ internally, and the living areas were arranged to maximise sun in the winter months when the home needs it most. Meanwhile in summer, the rooftop solar will help power the house’s split-system air conditioning. The house is also all electric, with induction cooking and a heat pump hot water unit.
‘We kept the form of the building simple to try to keep construction costs down, so it’s basically two intersecting gables in a cruciform shape,’ Silas says of the utilitarian design.
Low-maintenance dark Colourbond cladding adds to the building’s rural appearance, softened by small sections of cedar shingles for a textural touch.
Inside, recycled hardwood timber floors and the plywood ceiling give the home a relaxed and rustic atmosphere. Nothing is too loud or eye-catching, leaving plenty of room for the family’s busy lives and love of nature to take centre stage.
