Contemporary farmhouse rises after the ashes

This contemporary farmhouse in Healesville Victoria was designed by the award-winning team at Doherty Lynch and was a complete rebuild after the original farmhouse was destroyed in the Black Saturday fires. The clients brief was for a modern, warm and relaxing holiday home for four families including 17 grandchildren. The design needed to expand and contract to accommodate a fluctuating flow of guests as well as be durable, insulate against noise and be completed within a tight budget.

The materials strategy was for a layered approach to textured, robust and honest materials. Cabinetry is a mix of Japanese Sen ash, a laminate called ‘Moleskin’ by Laminex (perfectly named for a rural location), black & purple laminate with exposed ply edges. Walls & ceilings were painted out in Dulux ‘Natural White’ with recess areas for electronic equipment in Dulux ‘Luck.’

Fire retardant materials: double-glazed glass, concrete slab, fire-resistant timbers, porcelain tiles and plywood substrate for all joinery.

Sustainable features: concrete slab for thermal mass, E Screen glass, water harvesting, solar power, joinery from ply substrate, minimal artificial lighting, Shugg windows.

Products: Jardan Archie chair, tossB ‘sphere’ pendant from Hub Furniture and Artedomus white format tiles to kitchen (stunning!)

[photography by Gorta Yuuki]