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Architects: Archterra Architects
- Area: 170 m²
- Year: 2018
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Photographs:Douglas Mark Black
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Lead Architects: Archterra Architects
Text description provided by the architects. Paddock house sits exposed cross-slope, in a field of rye grass amongst grazing cattle and kangaroos with distant valley views to the north. The house connects to these views via a series of framed apertures in the volume of the house.
Externally the building is wrapped in a skin of pre sealed raw cement sheet to provide a robust and nil maintenance finish. Volumes for external living are then carved from this and lined with contrasting warm toned plywood.
Internally, the raw materials pallet continues with walls constructed of concrete block to provide a neutral and textural backdrop to the warmth of timber veneer joinery and plywood ceilings.
A simple rectangular plan format places bedrooms and wet areas to the west and the living space to the east.
The small master bedroom is simply detailed with contrasting white plasterboard and concrete block walls and a plywood partition to the walk-in robe that curves itself onto the concrete block wall. Kids bedrooms feature elevated sleeping platforms lined with plywood and maximise the useable space of these small footprint rooms with the lower level providing a full width study desk and play space.
The singular living dining and kitchen volume opens to the north onto a transitional verandah with the main outdoor living area to the east, accessed via a wall of glazed sliding doors. This space utilises a translucent sliding panel door to adjust its climate from cool breezeway in summer to protected outdoor room during blustery winter months. Its northern edge perfect for lazing in the winter sun.
Environmental sustainability is integral to the design: passive measures such as northern orientation, efficient cross flow ventilation paths for summer cooling and calculated eaves overhangs for warming winter sun penetration are partnered with a best in class heat pump hot water system and grey water recycling. The house shares a 4.5kW solar array with another house on the lot – the maximum allowed to be fed into the rural properties 3kVa transformer. The tile finished concrete floor slab and insulated blockwork walls provide ample thermal mass, ensuring the house is warm in winter and cool in summer.
A carport and covered link to the house are similarly constructed from highly durable and nil maintenance materials - zinclaume cladding and raw galvanised steel columns tie in closely with the utilitarian rural sheds of the region and convey little of the highly detailed house beyond.
