Jury citation
Tucked in among working farmland, Spring Creek Road Farm House looks, from a distance, like a piece of farm infrastructure. But as you get closer, it becomes apparent that something else entirely is at play. Sitting on a modest, off-grid footprint, this home is a lesson in providing just enough: just enough space, just enough comfort, just enough light, and – with its carefully curated views – just enough aspect. In one direction, farmland and sky; in another, a pocket of native forest; and westward, a virgin patch of reforestation that one imagines will soon be a wildlife corridor. This calm and beautifully simple house represents a triumph of economy of materials and finishes. Details that could easily look unfinished – cement sheeting, unsupported openings, stud walls naked at the ends – do not.
The architect/client worked closely with the builder, who clearly accepted the challenge with alacrity. From the beautiful screw layouts, to the gutter/spitter gracefully discharging to the water tank, to the myriad of carefully crafted junctions, you can feel the love at every turn.
Spring Creek Road Farm House is located in Bannockburn, Victoria, on Wadawurrung Country.
Project credits
Architect: Architect Brew Koch; Project team: Peter Brew, Simone Koch; Builder: G. D. Property and Construction; Building surveyor: Akritidis Group Building Consultants; Structural engineer: T D and C
