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Carrickalinga Shed by Architects Ink
Perched atop a hill on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula, Carrickalinga Shed is a contemporary interpretation of an Australian Federation farmhouse that connects its occupants to the shifting landscape.
Committed to the ongoing regeneration of a 22-hectare dairy farm just five kilometres from Carrickalinga, the clients enlisted Architects Ink to design a self-sustaining, off-grid retreat inspired by 19th-century French farmhouses. Spending a year camping on the property before the project began, they experienced the region’s intense seasonal weather, which shaped their vision for the project: dramatic views of the peninsula and sea, complemented by a well-protected garden.
Architects Ink positioned the dwelling high on the hilltop to maximise views and take advantage of the shallow gradients. However, the site’s exposure to extreme winds highlighted the need for protection, prompting the design team to look at ancient structures – such as the fortified Roman villa – for inspiration in guiding their approach. “Using this precedent, we manipulated the traditional farmhouse, stretching the perimeter to a 24 square metre while removing the centre for the courtyard,” says project architect, Mladen Zujic.
The home’s exterior and window shutters are clad in galvanized corrugated iron with a zinc coating, providing a resilient, fully recyclable building envelope that requires minimal maintenance. “The material folds over the ridge and lines the internal roof, creating a pyramidal funnel, with the structural columns as downpipes harvesting rainwater,” explains Zujic. The result is a simple, unified ‘shed’ form, its silvery cladding gently mirroring the shifting hues of the sky.
Despite its monumental architectural presence, Carrickalinga Shed maintains an intimate scale internally. Four distinct zones – to live, retreat, host and focus – radiate around an internal courtyard, designed to comfortably accommodate large gatherings, with each wing able to be closed off when unoccupied. Embracing a utilitarian ethos, the interiors are simple volumes finished in white plaster, with loosely placed fireplaces and ovens – “neutral spaces for the occupant to inhabit with their unique character,” describes Zujic.
Inspired by Emanuel de Witte’s 1665 oil painting Interior with a woman at the Virginal, the home’s arrangement of apertures “creates an enfilade of circulation and transparency, inviting solar gain to the perimeter and framing views to the landscape,” says Zujic. Industrial sliding shutters enable occupants to adjust the building envelope in response to views, light and weather conditions, creating endless permutations. Cross ventilation over the concrete slab passively heats and cools the house throughout the seasons.
Circulation flows through the internal courtyard, encouraging occupants to interact with the sheltered garden. Providing environmental protection, thermal and lighting control, as well as enhanced spatial qualities that promote both social and psychological wellbeing, Zujic describes this space as “the cornerstone of the project’s sustainability and liveability objectives”. The shed’s inverted roof features a low eave that maximises solar gain for both the garden and interior rooms, while reconstituted timber cladding, finished in black, recedes against the verdant tones of the native garden.
Carrickalinga Shed minimises its impact on the surrounding landscape, contributing to the vibrancy of the region and local community. “The land is respected, left predominantly untouched and in better condition than when the client’s purchased the property,” reveals Zujic. Utilitarian and low impact, Carrickalinga Shed invites its residents to be at one with the landscape, its design nurturing environmental health and human wellbeing in equal measure.
Architecture and interior design by Architects Ink. Landscape design by Landskap.
