Eucalyptus House

Victoria, Australia | 2017

Inspired by its arboreal setting in the Australian bush, the concept of this residence was based loosely on the idea of a treehouse. Utilizing material and form, the focus was set on integrating a large program within surrounding canopy.

The house sits atop a large semi-underground carpark, pool, and facilities area, where the slope of the site allows the service spaces to remain subterranean whilst the pool opens up to the sky and shallow valley beyond.

Above the carpark, a sandstone plinth rises out of the earth and opens up onto a large terrace where folding doors compliment a lifestyle of outdoor living. Floating above the stone pedestal, the private spaces are surrounded by eucalyptus cladding, allowing it to harmonize with the surrounding forest.

From the submitted project description:
By way of orientation and massing, the design makes use of the surroundings to the north and northeast, while affording special moments where views of the adjacent vineyard and pond are framed by floor-to-ceiling glass. An underground car park allows ease of access whilst maintaining a secure in- and egress. Upon approach from the road to the main entry the visitor is confronted by a solid, albeit tactile sandstone structure, only for it to open up onto a generous veranda overlooking the meadows and farmland below, and forest canopy beyond. The entry lounge, kitchen, dining, and living spaces flow seamlessly into one another, whilst maintaining accessibility to the rest of the spaces. The private spaces hang above the solid ground floor - a timber-clad treehouse resting on a solid sandstone plinth oriented toward the views and the sun. The timber cladding serves as discrete screen from neighboring eyes and secure railing against the tilt-turn windows - which would have screens built into the frames as needed during the more insect prone seasons. Below the pool area seeps out beyond the edges of the structure above, maximizing versatility as it blurs the line between indoors and out. The design remains compact, maintaining every square meter without sacrifice.