Boneo Country House
BONEO COUNTRY HOUSE
John Wardle Architects
YEAR
2017
LOCATION
VIC, Australia
CATEGORY
Residential › Private House
Like a divining stick locating water, this house directs itself to the view.
An existing house has been completely reimagined as part of a larger schema for the site. The new addition branches from the old across the slope, unfolding to engage with expansive views stretching over Bass Strait and Port Phillip Bay.
A skin of copper on the sides of the house is taut and crisply defining. It is sliced open to frame the views that have been divined from the site. Over time the copper will develop a green patina, settling the building into its context
Entry is through a glass link between old and new where a glimpse of the view is afforded before venturing inside. Local timber is used to line the interior, with varying textures across floor, walls and joinery. The interior is like a cabinet, a place to wander through, a place for refuge and prospect.
Within the new wing curved walls set a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Local timber is used to line the interior, with varying textures across floor, walls and joinery. The interior is like a cabinet itself, a place to wander through, a place for refuge.
The sectional character of the interior varies along its length. The space transforms from vertically oriented to a lower horizontal space, amplifying the panoramic views through large window portals.
The new living wing’s form is fluid and organic. It’s form reminiscent of a water divining stick, albeit for finding views to water rather than water itself. The ground slopes down naturally and the floor level hovers over as cantilevered living spaces.
The kitchen and main bedroom reconnect with the ground, and open onto a sheltered north-facing terrace. They have a more intimate relationship with the landscape.
