Wirra Willa Pavilion Retreat in Somersby, NSW by Matthew Woodward Architecture.

Wirra Willa Pavilion is a tranquil self-contained retreat in Somersby, a rural area an hour outside of Sydney. Inspired by the iconic work of Mies Van Der Rohe, the guesthouse beautifully cantilevers over a lake and adheres to all ‘Miesan rules’, from ‘less is more’ to ‘god is in the details’.

Designed by Matthew Woodward Architecture as a retreat for his father, the pavilion is set amongst an 80-acre former citrus orchard, and forms a wellness and relaxation refuge away from the main house situated elsewhere on the property.

Spatially, the pavilion includes a bedroom, main lounge and wet room. A minimal geometric framework allows for unobstructed free-flowing space, partitioned cleverly for privacy. The hero, for us, is the wet room, which features a sunken concrete spa that can easily be concealed with timber planks that run flush with the timber flooring. This space features floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides and weightlessly cantilevers over the lake, enhancing the feeling of lightness and isolation. The bed area is also fully glazed but can be closed off using a light curtain, offering instant privacy. In combination with the rich green outlook and a restrained palette of concrete, timber, glass, steel and stone, the pavilion could easily be mistaken for a Japanese bathing house.

Believe it or not, this is Matthew Woodward’s first-ever project. Pretty incredible stuff, right? We look forward to seeing more from this talented local designer.

[Images courtesy of Matthew Woodward Architecture. Photography by Murray Fredericks.]