House Kimberley by AO Design Studio

With a brief that aimed to balance openness and privacy and was adamant on demonstrating respect for the landscape upon which is sat, the home was constructed to blend the indoors and out. The three-bedroom residence, designed with three distinct wings, offers a backdrop for a number of experiences, from reconnection, relaxation and socialisation. The first wing dedicated to communal living, one housing the master suite and the final wing offering accommodation for guests.

Naturally, this required the design to communicate a sense of delineation between the zones, whilst maintaining a fluid sense of intimacy and connection that flows throughout all areas of the home, and even beyond the confines of four walls into the exterior design.

A sense of reverence exudes from the home, with every design choice considered thoughtfully and carefully for its environmental implications. The home adopts a unique stepped foundation, which allows the home to melt into the landscape rather than overcome it and minimises ecological impacts by reducing the need for earthworks and excavation. Designed in consultation with environmental specialists, the stepping of the home follows the natural curvature of the landscape, creating pockets of reserves vegetation that promote serenity throughout the environment and enhance biodiversity.

Additionally, the northern boundary of the site adjoins a protected koala sanctuary, presenting a unique opportunity to foster a connection between the built environment and the surrounding natural ecosystem. Embracing this, the clients and architects sought to blur the distinction between the sanctuary and the site, creating a landscape that invites wildlife to enter, inhabit, and pass through freely.

This respect and accommodation for the natural environment is carried from the foundation up, infiltrating into the design of both interior and exterior spaces through passive design strategies. The building is oriented to maximise northern light exposure, creating natural warmth in winter whilst deep eaves and overhangs ensure shading in hotter months reducing reliance on artificial heating and cooling systems. Further, the home utilises a narrow floor plan to enhance the effects of cross-ventilation, which is aided through the inclusion of large, operable windows and doors.

In the spirit of environmentalism, an existing structure was repurposed on the property into the new home's garage, minimising the environmental and ecological impacts of construction and demolition. Whilst also maintaining the site's original character and context into the new build, ensuring the home feels part of the site rather than imposed upon it.

Aesthetically, the home engages a material palette of raw, honest materials that will age gracefully over time. Dark metal cladding, recycled brick and timber create a robust and tactile palette that balances the surrounding environment. Aside from their high durability and low maintenance, they support the blurring of the home into its landscape with a simple and restrained appearance.

This simplicity is further echoed through the use of clean lines and carefully proportioned volumes that make up the home's exterior and internal layout. The open-plan living area features a striking curved timber batten ceiling, thoughtfully designed to amplify the sense of spaciousness and connection. Expansive skylight openings invite sunlight deep into the home, offering a visual link to the canopy of surrounding gum trees. The inclusion of sheltered courtyards and verandas that extend off these living zones, further blur the divide between interior and exterior spaces.

As with most rural property projects undertaken in Australia, adherence to bushfire protection measures was non-negotiable. Non-combustible materials such as metal cladding, brick and concrete were included in the material palette to enhance the homes natural resilience to wild weather events, whilst maintaining a refined and curated aesthetic. Landscaping was strategic, with the inclusion of low-flammability plant species and defensible space planning aid in contributing to the home's survival in the event of a bushfire.

House Kimberley by AO Design Studio is a contemporary take on a rural Australian home, integrating a refined material palette and passive design strategies that both blends with its natural surroundings and supports them. The home encourages residents and guests to unwind, reconnect and socialise, whilst encouraging the same sense of fluidity between indoor and outdoor living.

If you are interested in learning more about AO Design Studio, you can head over to their CO-architecture business profile where you can check out other exciting projects like House Forme and House Woodlands.

PROJECT DETAILS

Architecture: AO Design Studio
Planning: AO Design Studio
Photography: Luc Remond
Builder: Rofe Build
Landscape Design: Michael Bligh & Associates
Landscaper: Leading Edge Landscapes
Structural Engineer: Northrop