Our house near Braidwood on the Southern Tablelands was purpose built. We are a semi-retired couple whose children have left home but have regular house guests for whom we wanted self-contained accommodation. The building site is located in a eucalypt forest with spectacular views across the Araluen valley to the Great Dividing Range. Our brief to the architect stated that the house should be sympathetic to the site, utilising, but not dominating the local environment.
The resultant dwelling has surpassed our expectations. The architect conceived ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ sides in the design. Extensive use of natural (basalt) stone anchors the house to the slope – this is the hard side. Floor to ceiling glass captures the natural bush and the mountain views – the ‘soft side’. The result is that the house floats lightly on the sloping site and constantly rewards when viewed from different perspectives. The internal spaces are of manageable proportions and function perfectly in accord with our needs. To our constant delight, sight lines in every room focus our attention on favourite possessions, and the bush and stone walls outside. Our guests have been generous in their praise of the comfort and privacy of the guest studio.
In summary, living in the house has been a highly satisfying and enjoyable experience.
Jon and Lesley East