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Ground House 107R by David Fewson
Immersed in the subtropics of Tintenbar on the Far North Coast of New South Wales, Ground House 107R is a guesthouse of unexpected beauty and craftsmanship. Crafted by local designer and builder David Fewson, the off-form concrete building sits gently in the landscape, offering a secluded oasis.
Fewson has resided on the rural property with his family for many years, cultivating a strong affinity for its lush hinterland surroundings. Once a macadamia farm, the generous site now contains the Fewsons’ original family home – the home of Fewson’s eldest daughter Hannah and her family – and Paddock Hall, the family’s first self-contained guesthouse, designed and built by Fewson as an exploration of traditional timber craftsmanship. In developing a secondary guesthouse for the site, he challenged himself to embrace a new medium while striving to craft a private, site-responsive home.
Though there were few constraints, 107R’s intent as a private retreat and its proximity to the site’s other dwellings encouraged Fewson to consider an embedded architectural form. “It needed to be part of the landscape, and I wanted only to catch glimpses of it,” he says. Interested in concrete’s ability to feel both industrial and organic, Fewson’s early inspiration was the ‘new wild’ of Chernobyl– “the way the concrete is softened when it is taken over by nature,” he muses. The subterranean lair of The Thunderbirds was also a point of reference, driving Fewson to consider the transportive and enigmatic potential of the building.
The home’s elongated form sits laterally to the fall of the land, articulating a vegetated rooftop that reads as a continuation of the topography. The slender roof slab is supported by six concrete stanchions that seem to bend into the hill like silvered tree trunks, the result of Fewson sketching an arc – it is “an organic expression, so the building looks more at home in the landscape,” he says.
The garden, designed in collaboration with LARC Landscape Architecture and Nicholas Ward Landscapes, further grafts the structure to its site. “I always try to avoid a building looking imposing or demanding something of a viewer or an occupant,” reveals Fewson. “I want to avoid the ego in such a build that is more about the building itself rather than the landscape.” Approaching the garden design with equal sensitivity, a selection of native species creates a recessive, immersive feel. Stones for the dry-stone walling originated from the excavated site itself, while the hedges offer a sense of privacy.
The home’s wide window openings test the load-bearing limitations of concrete construction yet are critical in uniting the interior with views to the creek and drawing in northern light. These broad openings lend the compact interior an increased sense of space, with sightlines extending far beyond the building envelope. They also animate the home’s concrete shell with changing light throughout the day – “an unexpected joy,” reflects Fewson. “When you allow so much of the natural world into a space, the changing qualities of the bush and the different moods of the day are expressed on the walls.”
Working with Hannah and his wife Jane, Fewson sought to rationalise the interiors with a pared-back yet highly crafted expression. “We wanted to offer an alternative to the typical accommodation in the area – something that felt cosmopolitan,” says Hannah. She recalls the manufacture of the timber cabinetry as one of the more arduous aspects of the build: “The panelled finish comprises of hundreds of pieces of concave timber strapping. Each piece was cut to length, planed, hand-finished and laid by an artisan cabinet-maker.” This laborious process overlays the home’s elemental island bench, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry and suspended bed with a detailed and precise quality.
Understanding Fewson’s broader vision for the interior, Hannah and Jane sourced unique tiles, furniture and accessories to bring the guesthouse experience to life. Small-format jade mosaics found in Indonesia wrap the curved shower alcove, complemented by brass tapware by Australian boutique manufacturer Faucet Strommen. Gentle floor-to-ceiling drapery lines the glazed perimeter, effectively softening the building’s hard-edged, brutalist form, while a refined collection of furniture evokes a subtle mid-century feel. Artworks by David’s youngest daughter, Dolly Fewson, vintage glassware, quality linen and a curated playlist “transport guests in a sensory way,” says Hannah. “I think if you know the story and aim of a building, you can listen and it will tell you how to finish it,” adds Fewson. This intuitive approach yields a relaxing, place-specific dwelling that belongs to its context.
The guest experience is thoughtfully considered from arrival to departure, with the ambition to create lasting memories for guests. “I would call it a hideaway, a silent living space with a garden above – a place for an interesting holiday,” says Fewson. Responsible for steering the identity of the guesthouse from inception to completion, he hopes the result grounds occupants in the site’s natural surroundings. “I also want the guesthouse to ignite each visitor’s imagination, in that maybe the space feels a little bit familiar to everyone,” he says, smiling.
Architecture, build and furniture design by David Fewson. Interior design by Hannah and Jane Fewson. Landscape architecture and design by LARC Landscape Architecture. Landscape installation by Nicholas Ward Landscapes. Engineering by Ardill Payne & Partners. Joinery by Sean Campbell Kitchen & Joinery. Brand design by Hannah Fewson. Artwork by Dolly Fewson. Furniture supplied by Tigmi.
