This modern, black vertical-clad home features a long shallow offset open-gable roofline and a stone-walled patio tucked under a timber-lined eave, all set within a field of tall dry grass.
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Hill House

Blackwood Creek, Tasmania 2019

A comfortable split-level home, on the edge of a working family farm.

Situated on a slight rise in the foothills of Tasmania's Great Western Tiers, Hill House was conceived as a modern ‘manager’s cottage’. The owners approached us to create a home that would cater to the needs of life on a busy farm, while still offering a warm space that could be easily extended to accommodate a growing family in the future.

Simple, practical, considered.

The skewed roofline follows the gentle slope of the hill, allowing the open living space of its northern end to enjoy both abundant sunlight and sweeping views, while giving the southern bedrooms a sense of privacy and warmth. The muted metal exterior, wrapped around the home's locally sourced stone plinth, complements the landscape’s natural palette and echoes the working aspects of the farm.

This bright, open-plan living area is lined with timber flooring and features a wooden dining table in the foreground and a white sofa centred between large glass doors that offer expansive views of the surrounding grassy landscape.

Collaboration that delivers.

Midway along the eastern side, a covered entry into the house acts as both a practical ‘workers entrance’, as well as a calm transition from the farm to the home.

Working to a modest budget, and in close collaboration with the owners, we selected a series of simple yet refined materials to complement the modest narrative of Hill House - flexible for future extensions, durable against the region’s harsh weather, bushfire resistant and wildlife-proof.

A dark, vertically-clad wall sits next to a timber-lined recessed patio with stone edging, where two wooden chairs overlook a sunny, grassy yard.
A close-up view shows a wall built from irregularly shaped fieldstones in various shades of brown, tan, and grey, held together by light-coloured mortar. A recessed white window seat with a pink cushion and patterned pillow sits next to a large glass door, looking out at a potted olive tree and a distant lake.
A timber-lined outdoor patio with a stone base features large glass doors and a silver chimney, looking out over a grassy field toward a distant mountain range.