Concept Plans, Working Drawings & Project Management (2008)
This rural home is beautifully set, surrounded on three sides by the Nattai National Park. The initial challenge was to rework the relatively steep site around the newly extended house to be manageable for both cars and people (a common requirement when building on a steep site). A solution was achieved using a system of low retaining walls below stabilised batters or slopes. By sloping the land above the walls to the extent possible, the height of the walls could be minimised achieving a much softer visual impact and significantly reduced construction cost. The walls, being constructed of field stone from the site itself, compliment and add substance to the timber house and help tie it visually to the surrounding landscape.
The layout established, the second challenge was to create a garden that was visually fresh and verdant in a relatively hot dry climate. Closer to the house a selection of drought hardy exotics of contrasting textures and forms were used to work with the stone walling in subtly defining the spaces. Further out, local natives were used to help blend the garden in with its stunning surroundings.
See project gallery here.
