A Study in Restraint – Red Hill House by Mathieson Architecture

Resolute in form, with meticulous detailing and a restrained palette, Red Hill House by Mathieson Architects sees a sense of order carved out through connections to its formal gardens.

A study in restraint, Mathieson Architects brings a true resolution of form in the proposition and creation of Red Hill House. Upon entry through its highly detailed and manicured garden forecourt, the nod to European order and balance are both felt and impressed upon. Through a series of curated portals, the home is connected to its garden setting. With a retrained and minimal palette, surfaces bounce natural and architectural light within internal zones, enabling a moving symphony of light throughout the day.

Located in Canberra’s Red Hill, the building sees expanding and contracting internal spaces unfold, as a meandering through the surrounding garden takes place. This journey through collected objects, artwork and furniture is curated through a simple composition created by a singular approach to the architecture, interiors and the landscape. Each element on site speaks to a sense of formality, where detailing is kept concealed and contained and large floor-to-ceiling glazed elements become the threshold between the interior and exterior, sitting lightly within deep voids.

The home’s clever and purposed integration with the garden makes the home feel intertwined with green spaces. Through the ordered formality of the architecture, subsequent sequenced landscaped elements are interwoven. Red Hill House is flooded with light from obvious and less obvious angles. The use of higher-level windows, together with more obvious ground-level openings allows a seamless flow of natural light throughout. The experience of order is further emphasised in subtle ways, through the arrangement of zones internally.

Red Hill House sees an expertly ordered home fill its three levels, with white walls and pale limestone flooring as the backdrop for the ensuing escapist haven that is created. Designed to accommodate six bedrooms, each with their own bathroom amenity on the upper level, and family and more connected areas on the lower level, the basement houses additional garage, storage and service areas.

The building sees expanding and contracting internal spaces unfold, as a meandering through the surrounding garden takes place.

Mathieson Architects has beautifully combined a traditional approach to planning and design through formality, and added a refined minimalism through materiality selection, palette and cleverly appointed crafted junctions. Red Hill House is a calming home, made even more soothing by the absence of noise in its architecture.

The home’s clever and purposed integration with the garden makes the home feel intertwined with green spaces.