Koonwarra House, South Gippsland Real Estate, Victoria Home, Australian Architecture Images

Koonwarra House in South Gippsland, Victoria

29 Sep 2021

Koonwarra House

Design: Grant Amon Architects P/L

Location: Koonwarra, South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia

The Koonwarra House is a modest weekend home on a small country lot for a retiring couple and family. Inspired by Australia’s mid-century architectural modernist legacy, this simple dwelling provides a calm rural escape amongst the gum trees, koalas & kangaroos.

The house starts and finishes on basic design principles: simple efficient planning and form, orientation, siting, materials and outlook. Located midway down the property, past neighbouring semi-rural farmhouses, the L shaped house is sited to hug the north light orientation and grab the uninterrupted rolling country Gippsland views.

The aim, with a modest budget, was to provide an open plan house, with ample indoor and outdoor living areas, two beds, two bathrooms and a study. Inspired by Australian modernist and Californian mid-century Case Study houses, the layout responds to a modular grid featuring large glazed walls protected by generous eaves, pergolas and battening. Slightly elevated on a gentle slope the residence slots into and hovers lightly in the landscape, further complimenting the surrounds with timber shiplap vertical cladding and black metal framing. The flat roof is punctuated by a sloping highlight roof pop up, accentuated internally with expressed roof framing.

The built form is very site-specific utilising the given opportunities and constraints.

Access is down a long drive, weaving around and existing farm shed and store, past a developing garden and along a nature reserve strip and established native vegetation. The gravel drive sweeps in front of the house to the carport. Taking in the slope of the land and northern sunlight access to Living areas the house sits well in its environs, with extended decking and no balustrades to interrupt the views. Stacking sliding glazed doors open further link indoor to outdoor in a seamless transition of space.

Programmatically the house responds to the site, orientation and the client’s desires. The services areas and access are simple and logical, the bedroom and bathroom wing along the west side has a storage room underneath for the ride on mower and tools.

The main living wing, with its central cast iron heating stove, lightly separate dining from lounge functions, with the kitchen to the east, featuring bamboo benchtops and wrap-around glass corner. The stepped decking terrace, with built-in seat, are perfect for that outdoor BBQ lunch, linking an elevated deck to the grassy paddocks and dams beyond.

Sensible sustainable initiatives of considered materials, form, orientation, insulation, ventilation and services combine to deliver a site-specific home amongst the gum trees.

Architects & Interior Designers: Grant Amon Architects P/L