The Country Estate sits on top of an escarpment with a steep drop of thirty metres. The main axis of the plan follows the line of the contours, sitting comfortably on the expansive site. A central gallery acts as the backbone of the project, housing the client’s art collection. Internal and external spaces flow off the central gallery core, opening to views of the landscape and bush.
The house contains an open planned living, dining room and kitchen, home theatre, four bedrooms, two studies, library, games room and guest living area, gymnasium, indoor pool and covered outdoor living spaces. All spaces are linked through the gallery and are deliberately placed along the plan, in consideration of views and circulation.
The building includes carefully detailed timber windows, screens, pergolas and eaves. Bagged and stone-clad walls provide mass to the building whilst creating a rustic ambience to the spaces. With no access to town water or sewer treatment, the building had to be self-reliant and efficient in terms of water collection and treatment. Two 150,000L rainwater tanks were incorporated into the plan, alone with a bio-degradable waste treatment plant.