The Great Escape – The Escape Collection by Ruum

Building on from the success of its first collection, Ruum is currently creating a new series of homes known as the Escape Collection. The new collection, due for release in summer 21/22, is the result of Ruum’s collaboration with five leading studios, each contributing a design inspired by the idea of ‘escape’.

Following on from the considerable response to the first series of homes by Chamberlain Architects, Ruum found it was inundated with inquiries from clients who wished for a rural house to escape to. This constant request eventually set in motion the aptly titled Escape Collection. The latest series employs Ruum’s pre-existing model, whereby a series of architectural designs are replicated a limited number of times before being retired, similar to a limited-edition work of art. The model unlocks design and construction efficiencies, whilst ensuring transparency in costs and timeframes.

“The model unlocks design and construction efficiencies, whilst ensuring transparency in costs and timeframes.”

Where this series deviates from the first collection, however, is in how Ruum has curated a series of five houses that have been designed by five different architecture firms, rather than total series oversight by one firm. Chamberlain Architects have again returned to design one of the residences, and this time are joined by Andy Wong Architect, Architects EAT, FMD Architects and Tom Robertson Architects. All designs have been centred around the concept of ‘escape’, a direct response to the movement of people favouring weekend getaways and an increased demand to live and work remotely on flexible rural sites.

With typical city workers now detached from inner-city living, Ruum imagined a series of five sites, beginning on the coast and extending into the highlands, and presented one of these settings to each architecture firm. The question Ruum asked was “what makes the ideal country retreat?” – and the brief was for a flexible house that can adapt and grow with changing needs. The Escape Collection has an inherent flexibility, which allows the designs to readily respond to the request Ruum frequently received to “make it bigger”. Through a smaller footprint as the base design, there is an added ability to insert extra rooms as required, whilst the rural nature of this series means that designs are conceived without the spatial parameters of inner-city blocks.

“Ruum did not set out to dictate any particular style or look and feel across the range. Rather, the primary concern was to ensure each individual design could be delivered without compromise and ensure the unique value proposition was retained.” – Elliot McLaren.

Elliot McLaren, Founder of Ruum, explains how the five sites differentiate. “Site One is the classic beachfront site, where views are paramount, and living is on the upper level. Site Two is the more sheltered coastal retreat, and Site Three is imagined as a larger rural site with lots of space and distant views. Site Four is a more suburban site in terms of size and shape, whilst Site Five is a sloping site with views over the landscape.” Elliot stresses, however, that each practice was afforded total discretion in how to apply their own values into the model. “Ruum assembled the five firms for a number of workshops, starting at the Walsh Street Residence designed by Robin Boyd, for inspiration. Ruum did not set out to dictate any particular style or look and feel across the range. Rather, the primary concern was to ensure each individual design could be delivered without compromise and ensure the unique value proposition was retained.”

As with the first series of Ruum houses, the Escape Collection retains a number of partners and suppliers to ensure quality throughout and an unrivalled degree of comfort. Integrated appliances have again been supplied by Fisher & Paykel, and all timber floors are supplied by Made by Storey. Artedomus has supplied all tiles and stone, whilst new partners include the Eco Timber Group, Phillip Withers, Laguna Pools and Oblica Fireplaces – ensuring that quality appointments are a constant across the series.

With its first collection, Ruum proved that a market exists for bringing architecturally designed homes to more people. Now, with the Escape Collection, Ruum is ensuring that its model is applicable to a wider assortment of properties and contexts, servicing both metropolitan and rural clients. As Elliot explains, “the Escape Collection means that now, with Ruum, there is an ideal retreat no matter where you are.”