Contrasted Balance – Stony Creek Farm

Stony Creek Farm draws from the site’s rich farming history to rework the existing residence and anchor it in place among the natural elements. A detailed elevation of craft and robustness defines the building, shaping the ideal foundations for its future chapters.

With the owners seeking a change of lifestyle, the search for the ideal property on the Mornington Peninsula spanned just under two years. Once the site was selected, the merits of the existing farmhouse were extensively studied, and it was ultimately found not to have significant heritage value. The choice to then rebuild allowed for a beautiful reworking, resulting in a home that combined a sense of people and place. An intimate dwelling for two whilst having enough flexibility to expand for guests, the home comes together through a compartmentalised and partitioned approach.

Each room within provides a sense of retreat among the landscape, and a similar feeling of refuge can be felt in both frequently used spaces and guest areas.

As one moves through the centre of the residence, both the visitors’ and everyday areas sit on either side whilst stretching out lengthways to engage with the surrounds. Internal, external and structural walls are predominantly constructed from rammed earth that is left exposed. This raw earthen materiality complements the generous floor-to-ceiling glazing, which ensures visual connections extend throughout the home and connects the structure to the natural elements. Each room within provides a sense of retreat among the landscape, and a similar feeling of refuge can be felt in both frequently used spaces and guest areas.

Whilst the home is a place of shelter among the landscape, being reminded of its pastoral backdrop was key to the brief. With the owners having moved from a more urban residence to this rural setting, there is a simplicity found in the form and silhouette. The contrast created by combining the textural differences of the rammed earth walls with the smooth glazing and polished concrete floor conjures a feeling of balance, reinforcing the home as an unwavering form.

The choice to then rebuild allowed for a beautiful reworking, resulting in a home that combined a sense of people and place.

Despite the weighted materiality of the home, the glazing within Stony Creek Farm ensures a constant outward connection to the landscape. The layering of warm and textural elements also ensures a cocooning effect is felt within, where an optimisation of orientation and climate control reduce the impact on the environment.