By MRTN Architects
Resilience and endurance were at the forefront of the minds of the family at Wings Way in Skene’s Creek. Having lost their original, much loved, family home to fire they needed the replacement design to provide a sense of safety and permanence that was missing from the fibre cement clad seventies home that preceded it.
The new home was designed to meet stringent regulations both for the extremely high threat of upslope bushfire attack and the steep site location and risk of landslide. It also needed to endure the extreme weather conditions given its highly exposed coastal location.
Designed in two wings, a bedroom wing and a living wing, separated by generous entryway that connects form front to rear. The separated nature of the plan suits the multi-generational family who use it but also provides a cellular protection from the predominant fire threat direction. Internally and externally the walls are constructed from concrete block, standard grey block externally and a honed block internally, which provide the necessary BAL rating but also reduced the number of trades required on site in this hard to get to location.
MRTN Architects is a design focussed architecture and interior design studio founded by Antony Martin and located in Melbourne. We have a reputation for our unique style and the recognisable homes that we create specifically for the families and individuals that live in them.
Award-winning city, country and coastal homes that are sustainable and contemporary. Experienced in designing to local council requirements, including BAL and bushfire prone areas, we are also recognised for our sensitive response to projects situated within a heritage overlay.
Our projects, regardless of scale or type, have in common a considered design approach that results in buildings that use materials wisely and are correctly oriented, sized and proportioned.
Our approach to design is not a prescriptive one, we enjoy getting to know our clients and working with them to arrive at an outcome together. This process should satisfy what is required of the brief and the desires for the project but also create something unexpected and wonderful.
Creating enduring spaces and forming enduring relationships.