On the top of a rural site with extensive views across Bass Strait and the Otways, this house responds to various idiosyncrasies of the site and is comprised of two primary gestures: a concrete block wall which rises up from the ground looping to form interior and exterior living spaces and, nestled alongside this, a cedar box containing bedrooms, bathrooms and the kitchen. The form was determined in part by the vicissitudes of the site: the plan winds its way around three significant gum trees; the floor levels of the dwelling reflect the changing site levels minimising the extent of excavation

required and lessening adverse impact of the building on the existing ecology; and the main elements from a wall to establish sheltered areas protected from the south-east and north-west winds characteristics of the site. The position and form of openings were designed for specific views and reading of the landscape; some focus on the ground and others to the distant sea or mountain views. The materials were chosen to resonate with the existing landscape; for example the cedar cladding echoes the verticality of the surrounding gum trees, and the concrete blocks emphasise the horizontal expanse of the site.