New South Wales
Regional
On Yuin country, Rosedale is a beautiful oceanside bushland setting. During the black summer fires of 2019-2020, the seaside community was completely razed, and the original Polish-style summer house, was lost to fire. With this project, we found a way to make a small but meaningful contribution to the bushfire recovery effort.
Clad entirely in red corrugated iron, its hip-roof profile is an unashamed reference to the modest tin shacks that once lined our coastal towns. The monochromatic response might appear in contrast against its bushy coastal suburban context, but at the same time is so fitting, that it almost hides in plain sight.
Replacing a much-loved home that was destroyed – along with many of its neighbours – in the catastrophic 2019-2020 bushfires, Rosedale House embraces a contemporary reimagining of the shack vernacular of regional and coastal Australia.
The simplicity of hipped form and singular red cladding provides a warm contrast to the scraggly greenery of surrounding native bush without overwhelming. The minimal footprint avoids the all too common practice of maximising site coverage, instead offering modestly scaled spaces well attuned to casual holiday occupation.
Occupants enter directly into the central living area which visually and physically extends into the surrounding landscape via two decks, the larger expanding beyond the main form of the house over an external area set up for the continuation of a long tradition of family ping pong.
Sturdy, humble, and built on a tight budget, Rosedale House is a delightful example of architecture that delivers a great deal with modest means.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
