Tallowwood Cabin by Fouché Architects

A small clearing on the western edge of a dense forest reveals a quiet, low-lying cabin in Tallebudgera, Queensland that blends seamlessly with the surrounding native trees and shrubs.

Nestled within a thriving natural landscape that supports koalas and other native wildlife, this home boasts a minimal impact on the forest floor. To achieve this, Fouché Architects elevated the structure on a concrete plinth and post system, which also met the strict BAL-FZ fire rating required in this high-risk bushfire area. To enhance its integration with the environment, the team selected non-combustible cladding in a dark finish, allowing the cabin to blend with its surroundings.

Nestled within a thriving natural landscape that supports koalas and other native wildlife, this home boasts a minimal impact on the forest floor.

With these considerations in mind, the architects designed a minimal yet beautiful series of spaces for a young couple seeking a secondary dwelling for a parent. Utilising raw, simple materials like concrete floors and waxed strandboard wall linings, the cabin fosters a deep connection with nature, enhanced by framed views of the forest valley and easy outdoor access through stacking doors that open to a spacious covered deck.

The layout is efficient, with dining extending from the kitchen bench and built-in seating encircling the space, creating a cosy lounge area. Concrete blocks echo the building’s base in the kitchen island, while warm, red-brown tiles surround the fireplace, mirroring the hues of nearby tree trunks. Complementary brown tones are used for the squab cushions on the living room seats. This warm palette is further enriched by selected artworks by Tamami Davidson and Georgie Wilson, which add character and personality to the lounge and kitchen areas.

The cabin’s efficient layout includes two cosy bedrooms and a bathroom, all modest in size yet enhanced by large windows that frame picturesque views of the landscape.

The cabin’s efficient layout includes two cosy bedrooms and a bathroom, all modest in size yet enhanced by large windows that frame picturesque views of the landscape. The bathroom showcases gum leaf-inspired, grey-green tiles and operable shutters, creating an inviting, open-air atmosphere for showering.

Built in 2023, this cabin has garnered several prestigious accolades, including a 2024 Australian Institute of Architects Commendation for Regional Project of the Year in the Gold Coast and Northern Rivers region, a 2024 Australian Institute of Architects Queensland Award for Residential Architecture – Houses and a shortlist nomination for the 2024 Houses Awards in the Under 200 Square Metres category. Its simplicity evokes a sense of meditativeness, creating a serene space that invites residents to live in harmony with nature.

Architecture and interior design by Fouché Architects. Build by Minarco. Artwork by Tamami Davidson and Georgie Wilson.