Repurposed Bespoke Escape - Sybil House by Templeton Architecture

A former ‘chook’ farm in Red Hill on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula is reinvented by Templeton Architecture as a family getaway using raw materials to blend and highlight the architecture’s stunning vista views.

Situated on seven hectares, complete with sheep, pigs and chooks, the Sybil House is as retreat into the idyllic countryside that provides a place for the family to go ‘off-grid’ and connect with the people around them. The simple rammed-earth structure by Templeton Architecture enhances this minimalist lifestyle with its natural materiality of earth, hand-finished English oak, and soft textiles.

Sybil House is as retreat into the idyllic countryside that provides a place for the family to go ‘off-grid’ and connect with the people around them.

Sybil is a place for gatherings, which consists of several separate buildings placed across the expansive site. From the old ‘chook’ house that now is home to guest rooms, rumpus room, and workshop, to the former cottage with the main bedroom and kitchen, the arrangement is joined by a new extension between the two buildings. In this way, the new architecture marks a meeting point between old and new, integrating each older building to create a unified whole.

Templeton Architecture enhances the minimalist lifestyle with its natural materiality of earth.

The design was deeply informed by the site. The corrugated pitched roof mirrors the other builds in the area, and is reminiscent of the original buildings. Large windows finished with rustic wooden frames provide openings to the views that connect the house to its natural environment. Highlighting and framing its surrounding landscape, Templeton Architecture provides visual context to each space and access to the ever-expanding view.

Using a deliberately rustic palette of raw yet delicate materials such as rammed earth, oak, and natural stone, Sybil becomes a place from which to reflect on the water views and rolling hills. Thanks to the use of rammed earth, the walls cannot be adorned with art; instead, the eye is drawn to the details within the home. The English oak flooring in a traditional herringbone pattern, was hand-finished to continue the rustic feel, and the natural texture of rammed earth provides a subtle visual variation that is enhanced by the simplicity of the spaces.

Sybil is a place for gatherings, which consists of several separate buildings placed across the expansive site.

The interior is softened by the hanging linen fabric which becomes an art installation in itself, letting through filtered natural light, while offering glimpses of the vista beyond. Meanwhile, the use of natural stone throughout the entire house continues with the balance between rustic, timelessness and the natural beauty of the location which informed the form and materiality of the project.

With the warmth of timber, stone, and earth walls combined with minimalist, clean details, the design responds to the casual ambience of the area. Returning to nature with organic elements, the architecture creates a sense of emotional connection, drawing family and friends back to Sybil for regular visits.