Heather's Off-Grid House by Gardiner Architects

Located on a rural site surrounded by sprawling farmland, Heather’s Off-Grid House is a study in balancing simple habitation with modern comforts and caring for the land.

One will find Heather’s Off-Grid House, named after the client, nestled on 37 hectares on the edge of Barwon Valley in Birregurra. The brief called for a holistic approach guided by sustainability, flexibility, intergenerational living and functionality. Setting a precedent for sustainable design, Gardiner Architects created a completely self-sufficient home for Heather and her family while contributing to the renewal of the pristine rural landscape where the structure resides.

Beyond the prefabricated mono-pitched roofs, bagged brickwork and timber facade, interior materials and finishes are robust, rugged and textured.

The layout prioritises functionality while balancing indoor and outdoor living areas. To make the most of a small space, the home is split into three wings; a central, flat-roofed volume containing two bedrooms, a shared living, dining and kitchen space, and a guest wing that can be a place for family to stay, a potential holiday let or a work zone. These wings are organised in a U-shape around a courtyard that is surrounded by sliding glass doors and extends out into the landscape. The home’s positioning allows for panoramic vistas looking across the farmland.

Beyond the prefabricated mono-pitched roofs, bagged brickwork and timber facade, interior materials and finishes are robust, rugged and textured. Locally sourced timber is used for furnishings and a whitewashed timber ceiling adds warmth, complemented by plain white walls and a pared-back palette dominated by neutral tones.

Along with erosion control, 1.5 hectares of eroded land has been regenerated and native trees planted, encouraging biodiversity and renewal.

Given its remote location, ensuring the home is self-sufficient was fundamental. The residence is off-grid, with solar panels, a concrete slab for thermal mass, external screening to the double-glazed windows, water tanks, a transpiration septic system, a wood-fired boiler for heating and a vegetable garden. Along with erosion control, 1.5 hectares of eroded land has been regenerated and native trees planted, encouraging biodiversity and renewal. A windbreak has also been incorporated along the western edge of the property. While the home’s considered design prioritises a small footprint, it blocks out westerly winds and provides shelter in the courtyard. Waste production is also limited; wastewater is retained to enrich surrounding soil, the timber used is repurposed and much of the home is prefabricated.

Gardiner Architects provides a powerful lesson for environmental stewardship and responsible habitation with a design that prioritises renewal and regeneration and is deeply in tune with the surrounding farm and native vegetation. Reimagining rural living, Heather’s Off-Grid House is more than just a dwelling. It’s a way of life, encouraging a profound connection between the home, its inhabitants and the land.

Architecture by Gardiner Architects. Build by Spence Construction. Landscape design by Ocean Road Landscaping. Engineering by TGA Engineers.