Contemplative and Captivating: Native Bushland Comes Indoors at this Home

tháng 2 23, 2022

Living close to nature and taking refuge in a “green world” is an option many homeowners want to take while escaping the constant hustle and bustle of city life. Defined both in his style and in his contours by the landscape around him, the McCrae Bush house in the Melbourne suburbs, designed by Chan Architecture, brings its residents back to the heart of bushland life. Set low on an expansive lot, the home was built on the highest point in the area to make the most of the beautiful tree canopy and distant water views. Surrounded by native bushland, it's the outside world that shapes every little feature in this contemporary home.

Native bushland surrounding the grounds defines the location and design of this Australian home

It is the ground floor of the home which contains a beautiful meditation room along with the main entrance and a bespoke suite designed to accommodate guests. The upper level features the open plan double height living area, kitchen and dining room - a choice dictated by the best possible views from the building. A sloping ceiling also provides a mezzanine level with a reading area and library overlooking the living room, while the bedrooms and bathrooms are neatly tucked away to the rear.

Curved glass windows and walls, a fire-resistant facade clad in recycled red iron bark, and building techniques that meet all bushland fire safety standards ensure that living here is as safe as it is comfortable. [Photography: Tatjana Plitt]

Meditation-zone-on-the-lower-level-of-the-house-with-a-living-room-next-to-44015 — The meditation zone on the lower level of the house along with a living space next to it

Mezzanine-level-of-home-with-reading-area-also-offers-amazing-view-11536 — The mezzanine of the house with reading area also offers stunning views

Open-plan-seating-areas-and-beautiful-viewpoints-around-the-living-rooms-welcome-to-the-bushland-43003 — Open plan seating areas and beautiful vantage points surrounding the living spaces are welcome in bushland

Open-plan-living-kitchen-and-dining-area-on-upper-level-with-double-height-ceiling-69940 — Open plan living, kitchen and dining area on the upper level with double height ceilings

Recycled-red-iron-bark-used-for-exterior-of-house-49284 — Recycled red iron bark is used for the home's exterior

Sustainability was also an important principle in this project, from the extensive use of recycled materials and natural finishes with low chemical content, to optimal orientation to capture the sun, high performance glazing and the use of natural ventilation throughout to minimize the amount of heating and and year-round cooling needs.