Parabolica . photos: © Pier Carthew
Designed to suit the lifestyle of clients in the twilight period of their lives and celebrate their life-long passion for gardening, the home immerses inhabitants in nature. The dwelling was conceived as an introspective space, focusing inward toward a central courtyard garden.
The principal challenge of this project was to create an architectural home that met the clients’ brief while adhering to a modest budget. This constraint guided many design decisions and necessitated the use of economical construction methods.
Initial design studies deconstructed the traditional hipped-roof, brick-veneered home and reconfigured it into an inverted arrangement. This strategy served dual purposes. In practical terms; it centralised roof lines, gutters and downpipes, simplifying outer facades from domestic building clutter. In turn, the building profile became taller and reductive. In spatial terms; this arrangement created a focal point within the home.
The floor plan is rectilinear with circulation wrapping around the internal courtyard, visible through large areas of protected glazing. A subdued material palette complements the surrounding greenery, contributing to a peaceful and immersive experience. Interior spaces are light, simple, and muted.
From the street, the house presents as a rectangular form. External walls are clad in clay bricks bagged with a traditional sand-cement-lime mixture. The technique is unsophisticated yet provides a singular and textural finish. Vertical articulation is expressed through building entries and window openings with dark-stained cedar cladding.
The front garden is home to native plants and trees which are in harmony with the surrounding landscape of the Adelaide Hills. The remainder of the property serves as a working garden, populated by a diverse array of plants, flowers, and fruit trees. These were relocated from our clients’ previous garden which they had been cultivating for over 50 years.
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