Private
Contour House
Contour House got its name because we created its shape by extruding the site’s existing contours up to form the plan.
It sits on top of a hill on a magnificent site with 270-degree views over rolling hills to Port Phillip Bay beyond. As you approach, the house looks deliberately blank and abstract, denying the views beyond.
Once you’re inside, the striking views are released. The window openings are carefully placed on the façade to offer a variety of views of the landscape beyond.
Our clients wanted in-situ concrete, because they’d enjoyed it in their previous home.
Therefore, we made a large folding in-situ concrete wall a main feature of the house: it ranges in height between 2.5 and 5.5m, and is 55m long.
It anchors the house into the landscape.
The wall is both protective and revealing, simultaneously creating an internal courtyard and extending the spectacular views into the living areas. The courtyard is also a protective device, buffering the site against the fierce coastal winds.
The reverse side of the wall is timber framed and clad, which offers a counterpoint to the massiveness of the concrete.
The wall is designed to appear as though it has been there forever – a classical ruin discovered in the landscape.