Completed in 2021, the Flinders Residence is located on the Mornington Peninsula, overlooking rolling countryside and the coastal expanse of Western Port Bay. The project was designed to reflect the client’s vision for a family home that embraced a non-contemporary aesthetic. Abe McCarthy Architects envisioned a series of interconnected structures that capture the traditional barn style farm-home, reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.
“The current and increasing interest in barn style residences speaks to their inherently simple & timeless appeal, whilst also providing a highly functional building type for creating evocative and highly crafted architectural homes."
– Abe McCarthy, director of Abe McCarthy Architects
Founded in 2013 by principal architect Abe McCarthy, the Melbourne based practice specialises in delivering bespoke, high-end residential experiences tailored to each client. With their projects the studio aims to fuse conceptual design with a deep responsiveness to the site’s distinctive characteristics, drawing on natural materiality and light to inspire architectural experiences.
Flinders Residence is thoughtfully designed as three distinct buildings, each functioning independently while seamlessly working together as a cohesive whole, in response to the unique characteristics of its site. Intentionally connecting with the land and earth, the pavilions are nestled within a gently undulating landscape. Internal double-height raking ceilings, allowing an expansive spatial experience and sky views while providing for cosy loft style living on the upper floor levels.
The sun tracks from east to west, generating a dynamic interplay of texture, grain, and light, enhancing a warm and welcoming atmosphere, while allowing the interior to visually merge with its natural surroundings. Paired with internal lighting design, which has been carefully considered with illumination concealed within the expressed steel beams. The predominant use of sustainably grown Tasmanian oak, garnished with a natural oiled finish, extends from floor, wall and ceiling and to joinery elements. The double glazed window frames allow for crossflow ventilation to travel unencumbered through the whole dwelling. With the landscape being designed by Barber landscape, the project draws on fusing evergreen ground cover on mass planted mounded earth forms to create a dunal quality to the arrival landscape experience.
The compositions of Flinders Residence capture the charm and functionality of the traditional rural dwelling, allowing a functional and practical internal arrangement.
Within it’s local robust timber and west Australian limestone exterior, the home’s interior is imbued with a richly textural and tonal palette that provides a softened sense of warmth and comfort. A series of bespoke pieces, including custom joinery, lighting, and a cosy conversation pit, adds layers of fine detail, capturing both romantic and practical elements to create a distinct sense of place. For the interior design elements of the home, Abe McCarthy Architects collaborated with AV-ID director Alice Villella.
“This is a house that celebrates beautiful modern design but is ultimately liveable. It’s a marriage between a country-style barn house and a modern expression of architecture, with moments of glamour juxtaposed against moments of pragmatism. A truly unique residence.”
- Alicia Villella, director of Alicia Villella Interior Design
Fully off-grid the home operates with a solar array located on a nearby machinery shed and heating and hot water provided from a wood pellet boiler. Ventilation, heating and cooling vents are discretely concealed within joinery, wall and stair elements to allow for full thermal control without any visual presence.
Flinders Residence strikingly embodies the romantic elements of farm-style living while being underpinned by a pragmatic and highly resolved design, responding to the needs of contemporary family living. This project integrates farmhouse aesthetics with a distinctly modern sensibility. The design approach invites its habitants to connect with the surrounding landscape, while cultivating a unique sense of place and homeliness.
If you are interested in learning more about Abe McCarthy Architects, you can head to their CO-architecture pro business profile to learn more about their studio and design philosophy.
PROJECT DETAILS
Location: Flinders, VIC
Architecture: Abe McCarthy Architects
Interior Design: AV-ID Design
Landscape: Barber Landscape Architecture
Builder: G-Struct
Photographer: Shannon McGrath
