Christmas Hills House
A result of the Bushfire Homes Service, the Christmas Hills House is an adaptation of the Hinge House model, designed and documented pro-bono for a couple whose house was destroyed in Black Saturday. Based on the idea of a hinge’s adaptability, the Hinge House has been fitted to the site to allow the best possible solar access. Materials have been reviewed to improve fire resistance given the site’s extreme vulnerability to fire. The developed form is ultimately based on pragmatics, the landslip potential reduced by cantilevering a section of the building over the natural slope, in turn accommodating the large rainwater tank storage. The urban feel of brick has been offset by using two dark clay tones, arranged in a banded pattern to echo the forest backdrop.
Design Team
Clare Cousins, Tara Ward, Michael McManus, Matthew Tam, Dita Beluli
Photographer
Shannon McGrath
