Fern House

Fern House sits on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Country in the hills on Melbourne’s fringe, on a sloping site looking out over a valley. The clients loved mid-century houses and wanted one of their own, but built for the way they live now rather than as a period piece.

Instead of fighting the slope, the house follows it. Three long, low volumes step down with the contour, linked by stairs and courtyards. The main courtyard sits at the heart of the house beside the front door, under a translucent roof, so the first thing you walk past is a garden growing indoors, with daylight falling deep into the middle of the plan.

Inside, timber does most of the work. It lines the ceilings, forms the built-in furniture and warms up the concrete floors, while textured masonry walls catch the soft light bouncing off the timber above.

The house was designed to look after itself. Thermal mass, careful orientation and cross ventilation keep it comfortable through the seasons, and it runs on electricity, with a 9 kW solar array on the roof. The owners built it themselves.

Selected Media:

• Co Architecture