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Homes designed to withstand extreme weather can often take on a heavy, defensive appearance, with resilience coming at the expense of their relationship with the surrounding landscape.
This was front of mind for Marker Architecture when designing a new guest cabin on a sprawling rural property in Millers Forest, around 50 kilometres north of Newcastle.
‘It’s beautiful, peaceful country with big old gums, views down to the Hunter River, and the pool and tennis court nearby,’ studio director Ben Nemeny says of the setting.
‘Its biggest shortcoming is that it floods. Water moves across the land in a flood event and wildlife moves across it every day, so we knew early on that the ground had to stay open so that the cabin and nature could peacefully coexist.’
This pushed the architects to look at the surrounding bushland and at the flooded gum trees for inspiration, which became the project’s namesake.
‘The tree has a rough “stocking” of bark around its base that gives way to a smooth, pale trunk above,’ Ben says.
‘We loved that idea of a tough base protecting something more refined up top, and it became the whole strategy for the cabin. There’s a robust, flood-resistant base clad in stone-filled gabions, and a lighter timber cabin sits above it.’
Much like a tree, the cabin was ‘planted’ atop a stabilised earth embankment, with stilts and a footbridge that also hovers above the ground, providing a safe path away from flood waters.
With the approach to build less, but ‘build better’, the 77-square-metre dwelling reveals a simple floor plan.
Two flexible rooms used for sleeping and living are split by a central bathroom, kitchenette and boot room. Every room opens to a deck, as the spotted gum plywood walls and oak floors reinforce the cabin’s treehouse-like atmosphere.
The exterior cladding and decking are made from Thermory, a thermally modified ash timber that naturally resists rot without the need for chemical treatments.
‘Every material outside had to be able to go through a flood and come out the other side without needing to be replaced,’ Ben adds.
An integrated bench and platform create a connection between the cabin, pool and tennis court, positioning it at the heart of the property’s outdoor activities. The design prioritises outdoor living, reflecting the way the property is intended to be enjoyed.
It’s also off-grid, and operates largely from solar power, rainwater, and a wood fire fuelled by fallen timber from the property.
‘We really see this project as a prototype for how we might live in flood-prone places,’ Ben says.
‘Rather than avoiding these landscapes or bulldozing them into submission, it shows you can live gently alongside the water and wildlife and have a beautiful time doing it.’
