Contained Gem – Mt Mac by Williams Burton Leopardi

Returning to its origins as a home that supports life on a farm, Mt Mac combines both a restoration and an addition whilst subtly engaging with the surrounding landscape. Williams Burton Leopardi takes cues from the region in activating the dormant buildings on site and repurposes them through a contemporary yet sensitive lens.

Affectionately referred to as Mt Mac, inspiration for both the palette and taking a natural approach stems from the nearby Mount Mackenzie in the Barossa Valley. Sitting on a working family farm and owned by both a farmer and an artist, the original intent for the home was to become a temporary residence whilst the main homestead on the same property was renovated. Wanting to instil a similar quality and lasting detail as the main building, over time, the smaller of the two became a celebration of its own scale and past. Williams Burton Leopardi overlays a sensitive approach that binds the eras of the residence whilst allowing the original detailing to sit comfortably against the newer elements.

Maintaining the original outer extents of the masonry structure, the L-shaped verandah corridor becomes enclosed as a transition point between the old and new and brings with it the opportunity for natural ventilation through the centre of the residence.

As a gesture to return the heritage structure to its original purpose as a home within an agricultural setting, the existing is reworked and added to. The subtleness of the overall scale is deliberate and is contained on site by tucking the new form below the existing roofline and on the inner most side, ensuring the rolling landscape remains the focus. Maintaining the original outer extents of the masonry structure, the L-shaped verandah corridor becomes enclosed as a transition point between the old and new and brings with it the opportunity for natural ventilation through the centre of the residence. A linear timber and glass pavilion is then slid into the inner side, extending out and connecting visually with the landscape.

Clad in a dark timber wrapping, the pavilion creates an open and connected living zone where the kitchen, dining and living spaces all combine. Views out over the farm are maintained through the glazed wall to one side, with the immediate landscape also kept low so as not to interrupt sightlines. The dark timber is brought into the kitchen, forming the custom joinery and grounding the heart of the home. Throughout, unique artworks, sculptures and objects are curated and ever-changing, based on a larger collection, and combine with antique finds that offer moments of the unexpected. One such moment is the enlarged brass bell pendant lights above the dining table.

Wanting to instil a similar quality and lasting detail as the main building, over time, the smaller of the two became a celebration of its own scale and its past.

Burrowing down into the site and the existing cottage, Mt Mac is given a new life of matched proportions as a permanent residence. Williams Burton Leopardi ensures a robust and hard-wearing materiality that can absorb the activities of farm life whilst being a place of retreat among the vines.