Small yet perfectly formed: a low house on Australia’s Mornington Peninsula is all about simplicity
Set amidst Cypress trees on the edge of Australia's Mornington Peninsula golf course – on Victoria's southern tip – the Links Courtyard House is the latest single-storey holiday home by Inarc Architects. Set within an aspect that combines the links golf course, a gravel road leading up to the property and the area's rugged coastline, the development is a peaceful retreat, built to house the clients' busy family life.
The design was conceived to reflect the calmness and beauty of the location. The project's geometry is simple. A rectilinear plan contains the house's key spaces, clearly defining the built area; its low profile makes the landscape around it the real focus. Strong vertical structural elements on the facade give the building a sense of rhythm, as well as providing sun shading and a useable intermediary space between house and garden.
Take an interactive tour of Links Courtyard House
The building's size may be modest, but it's the quality of space and attention to detail that make it stand out. Inarc director Reno Rizzo's aim was to keep the palette of materials to an absolute minimum in order to contribute to the surroundings but not to dominate them. The single-storey plan allows sunshine to penetrate deep into the garden and minimise overshadowing. The house's open plan includes a single living/dining/kitchen space. There are two separate small bedrooms and a double garage.
When it comes to views out, the house takes full advantage of the nearby golf course, as the main living areas are orientated so as to frame the vistas towards it. In contrast to the simple palette of the sport grounds, the landscaping of the house's own courtyard features a rich variety of colours and textures.
The property remains unfenced, to encourage the family to stroll down the low-key coastal gravel road alongside it. One of Rizzo's aims was to keep the site as open to its environment as possible – to create a meaningful dialogue between private spaces and the surrounding nature. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today and save
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
First look: Western Mongolia meets Kew Gardens in John Pawson and Oyuna Tserendorj’s cashmere throws
Architectural designer John Pawson and cashmere designer Oyuna Tserendor have collaborated on a cashmere throw collection inspired by Pawson’s 70m Lake Crossing in the Royal Botanical Gardens
By Scarlett Conlon Published
-
How to buy art: the accessible new market
Thanks to a growing pool of art advisers, digital intelligence and collector groups, buyers are better equipped than ever
By Annabel Keenan Published
-
The coolest design-led coffee shops in Seoul
Seoul counts more coffee shops per capita than any other city in the world – cut straight to our six must-visit spots
By Robert Schneider Published
-
Tour Clifton House, an airy Bondi family home, brimming with natural light and foliage
Clifton House by Anthony Gill Architects is a North Bondi home using an abundance of vegetation to create a slice of privacy within the suburbs
By Tianna Williams Published
-
Tour this compact Melbourne home, where a small footprint is big on efficiency and experimentation
Northcote House is designed by architects David Leggett and Paul Loh as their own home in Melbourne
By Stephen Crafti Published
-
Bridging Boyd is the rebirth of a modernist Melbourne home
Bridging Boyd by Jolson is a modernist Melbourne home reimagined for the 21st century
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
This Sydney house is a family's stylish seaside sanctuary
This Sydney house is a young family's suburban dream come true thanks to Alexandra Kidd Interior Design and Rich Carr Architects
By Léa Teuscher Published
-
Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024: meet the practices
In the Wallpaper* Architects Directory 2024, our latest guide to exciting, emerging practices from around the world, 20 young studios show off their projects and passion
By Ellie Stathaki Published
-
Peek inside this secluded rural Australian retreat by Alexander Symes, in sync with nature
Based in Sydney, Alexander Symes Architect joins the Wallpaper* Architects’ Directory 2024, our annual round-up of exciting emerging architecture studios
By Tianna Williams Published
-
At the heart of Sydney Metro’s expanded Central Station lies a spectacular new public space
The new extension to the Sydney Metro, designed by Woods Bagot in collaboration with John McAslan + Partners, can now be accessed beneath its monumental roof structure above the city’s historic Central Station
By Jonathan Bell Published
-
Proclamation House is a hempcrete urban sculpture nestled under peppermint trees
Built from hempcrete and stone, Proclamation House, a sculpturally angular build in Perth, Western Australia, carves out an intriguing niche on a quiet suburban street
By Carli Philips Published