Mount Macedon House

About

With a length of 50 meters and a built area of 320 m², the house stands at the foot of Mount Macedon, on a plot located about an hour north of Melbourne. The site was an opportunity to design a long narrow dwelling that would make the most of the mountain views, as well as of what a northern orientation could provide in terms of controlling climate and light. The house is positioned close to the plot’s southern boundary in order to maximize outdoor space for the garden. This decision is reinforced by a predominantly solid south facade, which protects privacy on the street side, while the north facade is very open, with a long glazed surface protected by a large overhang that regulates the amount of sunlight shining in. Thanks to this strategy, the house is flooded with natural light during the winter. The sloping roof of corrugated steel, a material also used for the exterior claddings, is a clear reference to the region's vernacular buildings, reinterpreted here in a contemporary language. Inside, the building was originally thought up as a large open space for a single person, the mother of architect Ben Lance, albeit designed to lodge a large visiting family and other guests.