In Canberra, January 2003, many hundreds of houses were destroyed in a bushfire that raged on Canberra’s western border. The original house on this site in Duffy and the family home of the Hingee’s was one of the many casulties of this natural disaster.

Having lost almost everything in the conflagration Ric and Melissa Hingee decided against cutting their losses running and chose to make a statement about their commitment to remain in their community. They expressed a desire to have TT Architecture design a bold building form on the site of the old house;….a Phoenix from the ashes.

The house itself has a very simple rectangular plan form that has been enlivened by a strong curvilinear roof form, bold cantilever elements and the use of modern materials. The plan form is organized along an east-west axis, uses a suspended concrete slab to facilitate the maximum benefit from the winter solar gain and permits impressive views of the Brindabella Mountains.

This house is a bold statement of optimism arising from the ashes of adversity.