OKAPA RISE 

Located only a 2-minute drive to the Dunsborough town, this house on a 10,000 m2 block feels like a refuge from the busy urban lifestyle, with the surrounding nature taking centre stage.  

The design thoughtfully channels the vernacular typology of a bush retreat through a lens of contemporary architecture to create a meditative house where occupants can unwind, relax and reconnect with nature.

The stunning coastal flora with its amazing array of wildflowers, Banksia and Jarrah trees was an enviable asset for the owner. Through strategic orientations, the house offers a range of unique views over the surrounding vegetation, allowing it to visually penetrate deep into the house’s interior. Framed views at the end of hallways, picture windows and external timber screening were all carefully considered for framing views and drawing in the landscape to the interior.

Materials included Spotted Gum cladding, rammed limestone walls and Jarrah floorboards. Full height double glazed windows through the living area captures the sky view while permitting sunlight during the colder months of the year as a means of passive heating. These materials allow the house to blend into the site so the landscape becomes the focus. 

With 250 m2 floor area, the house offers a flexible spatial arrangement, allowing it to easily adapt over time. 

Project Details

Material: Timber frame/burnished concrete/rammed limestone/Spotted Gum screening and deck
Project size m2: 249
Location: Dunsborough, Western Australia
Year: 2017