Djaara (Dja Dja Wurrung People) of Djandak (Dja Dja Wurrung Country)
Victoria
This new house in Daylesford sits on an elevated, north-facing site overlooking the township and adjoining the Wombat Hill Botanic Gardens. Conceived as a series of stepped volumes arranged around a central courtyard, the project responds to site, climate and context through restraint rather than scale. Formed from a backyard subdivision, the house demonstrates how increased density within a regional township can be achieved without loss of amenity, privacy or character.
Partially embedded into the landscape, the architecture adopts a low-profile streetscape presence, prioritising landscape over built form. Internally, a tiered sequence of spaces unfolds around the courtyard, creating generous living within a compact footprint. Environmental performance is embedded through passive solar design, cross-ventilation, thermal mass and durable, bushfire-responsive materials. Quiet in presence yet rich in spatial experience, the project offers a replicable model for environmentally responsible and contextually grounded regional housing.
Our house was designed as a place to move slowly, to rest, reflect, and reconnect.
Its stepped levels and framed outlooks anchor us in the present. Natural materials calm the senses, while soft transitions blur the line between work and leisure. At the same time, the layout invites celebration. Guests arrive and settle at the bar, move into the dining space for a shared meal, then unwind in the lounge. From quiet mornings to lively evenings, the home adapts with intention. Every element supports how we live, love, and share, in stillness and in company.
Tim Clarke, Design Architect
Emilia Fabris, Project Architect
Amy Byrne, Interior Designer
Floreancig Smith, Building Surveyor
Green Rate, ESD Consultant
Southern Cross Town Planning, Town Planner
Meyer Consulting, Structural Engineer