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Architects: Barry Connor Design
- Area: 50 m²
- Year: 2020
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Photographs:Dennis Radermacher
Text description provided by the architects. Gently nestled into the tussock grasslands at the foothills of the Ben Ohau range sits the Skylark Cabin.
The clients brief requested a simple retreat with honest materials, a place:
- to relax and retreat to
- to watch the sunlight and shadows dancing along with the Ben Ohau range
- to watch the skylarks frolic, hover, and dance over the tussocks
- to watch the stars and the night sky
- to have a bespoke appeal as a potential rented luxury escape
a place to literally soak up the landscape with a focus on effortless relaxation.
The underlying form is of two offset open-plan spaces. One contains the bedroom and bathroom and is positioned to allow morning sun in both winter and summer to filter through. These spaces are orientated towards The Black Hills and Backbone Peak. The other holds the kitchen, entry, and living areas with closer views of the Ben Ohau range.
The angle of the offset was derived from plotting specific views from certain activities; lying in bed, washing the dishes, having a shower, sitting, standing. The folded form also nods to the distinctive aerial display of the local Skylarks with their angular, precise, and purposeful acrobatics.
The entry porch connects to the carport which is a series of burnt orange structural frames extending down from the cabin roofline and is anchored at the other end to the hidden storage block and bike racks. The color was a specific client request and was used to emphasize the main structural elements.
