Wetlands House

Year
2022

State
Victoria

Photographer
Derek Swalwell

Wetlands House is a tiny settlement in regional Victoria on the Mornington Peninsula, located between Hastings & Flinders. Like many farming properties in that area, the existing land parcel was predominantly pastoral with significant existing vegetation. The brief was to construct a new home to replace the dilapidated existing house.

As it happens, the clients had lived in the existing house for many years and therefore were able to shed light on their experiences and local knowledge – particularly in term of seasonal weather patterns and views.

From the outset the design approach sought to embed the proposed house within the landscape. Intended to encourage biodiversity on site, a wetlands designed and executed by Sam Cox replaces the demolished tennis court of the existing house, providing a body-of-water cooling effect. The project, therefore, is aptly titled Wetlands House

Sustainability initiatives were integrated into the design brief and just as much driven by the client. Along with solar passive design principles and air-source heat pump radial heating, the ability to isolate zones with sliding doors ensure operational energy is minimised.

Natural, robust materials such as granite stone from the local Hillview quarry have been reclaimed to form the external wall of the stair void and to the fireplace. Internally, rich Australian hardwoods line wall surfaces minimising the use of plasterboard in the home.