Openly Connected – Boonburrh House by Frank Macchia and CLO Studios

As a deconstruction of the traditional home, Boonburrh House is founded on a clear connection between inside and out. Frank Macchia and CLO Studios combine to draw on the surrounding and abundant natural elements, conjuring a fitting series of spaces that generously engage with the site.

Often a place connects with those who have visited it or have shared memories, ensuring an embedding of narrative over time. Boonburrh House is one such place, occupied now as a residence and with its own storied and layered past. Located in Noosa Heads and overlooking Laguna Bay, it sits at the entrance to the Noosa National Park. Inspired by a home in Sri Lanka and in particular the work of Geoffrey Bawa, the resulting series of spaces sit as an open embrace of the surrounds. The darkened materiality offers itself as a subdued insertion amongst the landscape, ensuring the existing and established living elements are interrupted as little as possible. Frank Macchia and CLO Studios work to create a place of shelter that extends beyond the traditional bounding walls of a home.

Operable façade and screening features allow natural ventilation and light to enter and move through the interior spaces, adding a natural illumination to the dark and textural finishes throughout.

With a focus on views and access outward, Boonburrh House is built by Robilliard Building & Design and sees a curated landscape design by Steven Clegg Design, built and maintained by Serene Gardens. The combination of native species with a sense of structure ensures the outdoor areas are extensions of the home whilst acting as a draw from within. With the outdoor beckoning, allowing a free flow of movement between inside and out formed an important part of the brief. Operable façade and screening features allow natural ventilation and light to enter and move through the interior spaces, adding a natural illumination to the dark and textural finishes throughout.

By emphasising a sense of disconnection from the traditions of an expected residence, the home takes on another typology and feels like it could easily be a hotel or cabin set in an idyllic and removed setting. Taking inspiration from its Sri Lankan muses, the expected grouping of areas and their interconnection are removed and an alternate approach connects each of the functions through a labyrinth method. Coupled with the materiality and overall atmosphere, there is a sense of journey and discovery within the resulting home, disassembling expected notions and seeing the proposal of a unique structure.

Coupled with the materiality and overall atmosphere, there is a sense of journey and discovery within the resulting home, disassembling expected notions and seeing the proposal of a unique structure.

Boonburrh House draws a new narrative from its past and the surrounds, seeing Frank Macchia and CLO Studios optimise the location through a considered and texturally rich approach.