Hillside House is home to a large growing family located by the foothills, providing views over the Adelaide plains.
The client’s grandfather was a brick layer, this developed a love for the material as it evokes sentimental memories of her upbringing. Having lived in a country house, the brief was for a home to be as robust as living in a masonry barn.
Starting with a single gabled barn presented to the street, the concept split the volume along the ridge. By separation, two skillion forms create dual passive and active zones with various courtyards in-between. The northern volume sited on the natural plateau functions as the ‘Grand Room’ and is the active living area for the family. The southern volume is divided to provide passive spaces, comprising of bedrooms, utilities, and garaging.
A continuous operable glazed façade opens onto the terrace enabling sweeping views and capturing northern light whilst integrating the landscape. The brick material is defined both inside and outside of both main volumes. Finished with roof shingles and ceilings with exposed oak rafters and siding.
The limited material palette, exposed structure, and lack of applied finishes echoes as having been built long ago. The future maturing landscape will integrate with the brick creating a solidarity, permanence, advocating its immediate historic context. As a modern house, incorporating the past without replicating it, Hillside House resonates longevity while asserting its own identity.
In the words of the Owners:
“The design has created a place of peace and comfort. Our children have seen how a combination of passion, hard work, attention to detail, willingness to compromise, and collaboration of the whole team has resulted in the final product. We have been fortunate to have been part of such a project.”
