Inside The Ultimate Farm House With A Secret Internal Courtyard (House Tour)

Positioned on a piece of land with rich history, Bass Coast Farmhouse by Wardle overlooks an expansive coastline that reaches out to Bass Strait. Inside the ultimate farm house, where an internal courtyard is hidden, the home offers its owners thoughtful connections to their natural surrounds. Throughout the reformation of the old farm, the architect has worked with a deep sensibility to rehabilitate the home, as well as the land on which it sits, by both re-using materials and employing new environmentally kind ones. When tasked with Bass Coast Farmhouse, Wardle began the process of rejuvenating the home by reducing its plan down to three simple elements – a steel roof, timber walls and a single chimney. This idea naturally flowed into the the ide of designing the home to not only sit upon the land but to interact with it.

Upon arrival, Bass Coast Farmhouse appears almost cartoon-like with its rectangular form and minimal materials. Surrounding the home is a rolling garden. Designed by Jo Henry Landscape Design, each plant has been finished with plastic containers that will nurture the growth of the indigenous plantings until they reach maturity. Furthermore, the home’s form has been designed to sway with the typography of the land. Previously cleared as farmland, the entire 300 acres have also been reworked to encourage and inspire the growth of vegetation around the home and across the entire site. The single front door opens to welcome the owners and guests inside the ultimate farm house, where Wardle has placed a mud, boot and cloak room at the entrance of the home. Yet, inside the ultimate farm house – and glimpsed from the entrance – is an additional inner courtyard, which sets in motion the deep connection between home and land.

Inside the ultimate farm house, the architecture has been set out as a journey, where Wardle has created a sequence of experiences that are all set under the one continuous roof. On one side of the home, the sleeping zones have been positioned, including a bunk room, double bedroom and interconnecting bathroom that are all angled to face the courtyard. On the opposite side of the home, Wardle has placed the larger-scale areas, including a living and dining room, a long and narrow kitchen and a small game room that emphasises the connection between people, land and place. Complemented with large, mechanical shutters inside the ultimate farm house, Wardle has created a wheel that opens these up to welcome in a wealth of natural light.

On the exterior, Wardle has used category one Australian spotted gum to accentuate the home’s environmental sensitivity. Throughout the interior design, recycled timber is used for flooring, whilst veneered plywoods are employed for the ceiling. Though the majority of the home is finished with solid timber that will stand the test of time, Wardle has chosen to break up the emphasis on timber using tiles, which are seen in the kitchen and bathrooms. Moving downstairs, the home’s floor plan seemingly falls into the earth in an attempt to flow with the typography of the landscape. After moving down the solid staircase, Wardle has placed an external kitchen and dining space, all of which is made out of concrete and zinc. Seen and experienced through each aspect of design, Wardle has built a home that provides an intimate connection to its garden and landscape.

00:00 – Intro to the Ultimate Farm House
00:37 – The Original Idea
00:57 – The Second Primary Strategy
01:03 – Revegetation of Indigenous Planting
01:36 – A Walkthrough of the Farm House
02:51 – The Two Living Zones
03:24 – The Integration of Primal Activities
04:00 – Illumination Throughout the Home
04:17 – The Materials Used
04:55 – Neutral Palettes and Other Aspects
06:13 – The Intimate Requirements of a Home

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Photography by Sharyn Cairns.
Architecture by Wardle.
Build and Joinery by Overend Constructions.
Landscape by Jo Henry Landscape Design.
Structural and Civil Engineering by OPS Engineers.
Filmed and Edited by The Local Project.
Production by The Local Project.

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of First Nations peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all First Nations people of these lands.

#FarmHouse #Design #Architecture

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