Clean lines and contact with nature

Summer House on Bruny Island, Australia by Maguire Devine Architects

In harsh weather, the holiday home on Bruny Island off Tasmania is a cosy little retreat of 28 square metres that houses everything you might need. On sunny days, the sliding doors can be opened up so the occupants can spill out onto the terraces outside. The client wanted a holiday home where she could live a simple life and gaze at the stars in the night sky. This brief led the architects at Maguire & Devine to create a cabin with almost all the fittings built in; the only loose furniture is a small table and a mattress in the sleeping loft. Internally, the pine exposed on the walls, floor and ceiling was chosen for its light colour.

Australia is often hit by forest fires and to protect the house, the wooden façade is made of merbau, a hardwood with good fire-resistance properties. The vertical timber has been oiled and the rest of the façade is clad in zinc panels. The building has minimal environmental impact thanks to its solar panels, wood burner and gas-fired heating for the collected rainwater.

Read more maguiredevine.com.au

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