Mountain House

Site Details

Location: North Eastern Tasmania

Context: Bush

BAL Rating: 29

 

Project Details

Completion Date: 2025
Floor Area: 112m2

Materials: Corten + galvanised sheet cladding externally.  Paarhammer timber aluminium composite window frames, Comcork flooring, Tasmanian hardwood plywood for walls and ceiling.

Joinery: Tasmanian hardwood and brass.

 

Consultants and Contractors

Builder: Form Projects 

Joiner: A2 Kitchens

Entrance joinery: Matt Prince

Sheet Metal: Jan Shilling

Brass: Rankin + Bond

Engineer: Jarred Allan

Energy Assessor: Building eValuate

​

Photographer: Anjie Blair

Mountain House contrasts a robust exterior with a warm, inviting interior. Its location on a one-way track through a densely bushed area was the primary design driver. While the site was classified as Bushfire Assessment Level (BAL) 29, the house has been constructed to meet the more stringent BAL 40 standards. This includes enhanced safety measures such as a rooftop bushfire sprinkler system and downpipes that can be shut off, allowing the gutters to hold water in the event of a bushfire. The structure is encased in a durable and low-maintenance mix of Corten cladding and galvanized sheet.

 

Inside, the design thoughtfully integrates Passive House and aging-in-place concepts, resulting in a straightforward layout with wide walkways and doorways. Locally made Tasmanian hardwood plywood lines the walls and ceiling, creating a simple palette that connects the interior to the surrounding bushland. Comcork flooring extends throughout the interior, including the bathroom walls and ceiling, providing both a soft surface to minimise injury from falls and excellent acoustic absorption. Locally crafted brass grab rails have been incorporated for added support. The internal space is further shaped by a curved ceiling, which helps define areas without the need for walls.