Dalefield House I

Architect Michael Wyatt was contracted to design this holiday house on a site that has views from rolling foothills to the Remarkables mountain range in one direction and Coronet Peak in the other.

"The clients wanted the house to have a simple pitched-roof form, which fitted with the local covenants," he says. "It was also a way to contain the budget. For the same reason, we chose dark-stained weatherboards, rather than stone, for the cladding."

Wyatt says the property is effectively a compound, comprising three gabled pavilions and an enclosed courtyard.

"Making the building a collection of three major roof forms instead of a single monolithic shape is not only more interesting visually – it also allows more natural light to enter the interior, and it provides for sheltered outdoor living areas."

Entry to the house is through the walled courtyard on the south side of the house. The walls feature bagged schist, similar to early goldmining huts in the region.

An elevated platform with a canopy that has the same pitch as the roofing enhances the sense of arrival. Its dramatic form also signals the entrance, says Wyatt.

"Walking across the courtyard provides a more intense experience of the site – you are not bursting straight into the house. Rather, there is an initial visual connection with the broad sweeping landscape, the rolling hills and the mountains beyond. For this reason, also, there are no rose gardens or picket fences – the entire design is focused on the house's wider surroundings."

The east-west axis of the main pavilion containing the living areas, guest and master suites, maximises the outlook. The main living area at the far western end has views out in three directions.

"Every other room in this volume has a double aspect," says Wyatt. "This provides views of the mountains to the north and south. With the sliding doors open on both sides, there is also plenty of cross ventilation to help cool the house in summer."

To ensure the interior is also shaded from the intense summer sun, the architect added an inverted L-shaped steel framework to the long northern elevation. Blades attached to the frame shade the interior.

"The blades can be moved if required, but are currently positioned so they don't compromise the view of the tops of the mountains when people are seated," says Wyatt.

A light, airy interior defines the main living pavilion, which features exposed, white-painted trusses reminiscent of old warehouses and rural buildings. Blonded wood flooring and white-painted sarking on the ceiling further enhance the feeling of lightness and space. A central chimney, covered in a dark wallpaper, serves as a room divider that helps define the formal living space and dining room.

"The chimney provides a degree of separation, yet still allows for a very open, flowing space," says the architect.