Merricks farmhouse made of earth, glass and timber

This striking home designed by Robson Rak Architecture is set on a 10 acre rural farm outside Melbourne. It was bought by a couple with two young boys as a weekender, with plans to build a spacious modern home for generations to enjoy. While the initial brief was for a simple rectangular box, the architects convinced the clients to break up the rectangle to create more interesting spaces and a more dynamic building which offered surprising little retreats. By responding to the natural fall of the land two levels were created to the building with three distinct zones, the effect being a long, low presence on the landscape.

The client’s desire for simplicity and material honesty led to a modest palette of earth, glass and timber. Using one of the oldest and most natural building methods, local sand sourced from the peninsula was used for the construction of the rammed earth walls. The majority of the internal walls are rammed earth creating a beautiful, warm, textural look and feel; taking on a life and personality of their own as they change throughout the day depending on the light.

[Photography by Shannon McGrath]