The brief called for a house to be built on an elevated rural property with dramatic views in all directions.

The clients were looking to retire, and as such wanted a home that would be able to accommodate their adult children and grandchildren on weekends and holidays, but would also be appropriately scaled for two people.

The clients wanted a house that would be low maintenance, and would be as self-sufficient as possible in terms of electricity and water. The brief also asked for a house that was thermally comfortable throughout the year, in a region that suffers severe storms, and can be both very hot and quite cold. Our solution was to provide minimal openings to the west, to provide a sheltered courtyard to the south, and to open up expansively to the north and east under deep sheltering eaves. The house is relatively long and narrow in plan to make the most of cross ventilation and natural light.