Agricultural Aesthetic: Tamworth House by MRTN Architects.

This semi-rural house on ex-grazing land in Tamworth by MRTN Architects transforms a scrubby parched piece of land into an energy-efficient contemporary home, set within a landscape of regenerated native plants.

“This part of Australia is prone to drought and it was during drought that we first visited the site, which was dry and dusty with only a few yellow plants clinging to life,” explains MRTN Architects director, Antony Martin. “This meant the design was focused not only on regenerating the land and creating a garden, but also on resisting drought conditions in future.”

MRTN Architects created an almost totally enclosed courtyard garden in the centre of the house. At the front of the property, two sheds connected by a roof also connect to the house on either side, forming a square around this central courtyard. MRTN worked closely with SBLA landscape architects to develop the courtyard and the gardens surrounding the house.

House Under Eave in Pt Wells, New Zealand by MRTN Architects.

MRTN Architects' House Under Eave has a shifting scale—from the street it appears as a compact assemblage of parts that rapidly expand upon entry.

The materials are chosen for their agricultural aesthetic, with a metal roof and walls made of timber and stone. The materiality is deliberately recessive, including a dull silver roof, black sheets and ironbark timber. Inside, rooms are finished in painted plasterboard, timber in the kitchen and tiles in the bathroom, while outdoor spaces are finished in brick, timber and stone.

Connecting all buildings with a singular roof design helped to bring down the scale of the house while providing undercover walkways between the buildings. The large courtyard helped to establish a garden, while the undercover walkways act as breezeways, akin to those found in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean climates.

Tamworth House offers an architecture that sits low on the land, with elongated forms that recede into the landscape. Providing views of the foothills and a sense of being embedded within the Australian landscape, this home is intelligent in design but humble in expression.

Marra Marra Shack in Berowra by Leopold Banchini Architects.

This structure overlooks a remote creek through a fully-glazed facade, sensitive to the surrounding site this thoughtful design...

[Images courtesy of Mrtn Architects. Photography by Anthony Basheer.]