Tharawal
NSW Regional
Regional
A 100m² home on Tharawal Country in Gerroa, NSW, proves that thoughtful design can be both compact and deeply integrated with its environment. Situated on a steep, windy slope, the pavilion is elevated on a steel platform, its recycled ironbark cladding weathering the coastal conditions. The design carves out a central, protected deck, offering a quiet respite from the relentless winds that shaped the architect’s personal connection to the site as a windsurfer.
Beyond its physical form, the project is an ongoing ecological effort. The landscape is being actively repaired, with 2000+ native plants replacing weeds and a permaculture garden established to feed its inhabitants. The strict budget meant a hands-on approach: the architect became the builder, fabricating elements off-site and living on-site to complete the project, a testament to a personal commitment to creating a sustainable, modest home.
Having yourself as a client creates one of the most difficult design conversations to have in practice. The architect’s ambitions ran up against the client’s budgetary constraints throughout the process; navigating ultimate freedom of expression vs design restraint constituted a perpetual battle of wills.
Despite the obvious tensions, conflict of interest and rife indecision, what a wonderful opportunity to make a work of architecture, and one that is part of lifelong learning.
Matt Chan, Design Architect
Georgie Forbes-Smith, Design Architect
Sri Yeleswarapu, Graduate of Architecture
Charles Blumer, SDA Structures, Engineer
Lachlan de Blaquiere, SDA Structures, Engineer
Brad Swanson, ARC projects, Construction advice