Taroona House by Archier

Set in pristine Tasmanian bushland and crafted by Archier, Taroona House is both a family house and an artist’s studio, and is the compelling result of a collaboration between client, architect and Dulux.

Located in southern Hobart, Taroona House is perched on a steep, densely forested hill with views out to the River Derwent. “The site is incredibly steep and it was a major driver of a lot of design decisions,” says Chris Gilbert, design director at Archier. “We really wanted to embrace the site and figure out ways to work with it. As such, the buildings are laid along the contours and then the major volumes stack between those.” A long entry path leads deep into the property through the native bush to the front door, which sits under the main volume.

“I love standing in the sitting room, watching the light through the trees as they wave back and forth, especially as the sun either comes up or sets.”

Inside, the mudroom frames a striking vista of the landscape, and leads to an intimate living space – filled with a curated collection of art, books and furniture – the main bedroom and a bathroom, the latter with a deep, Japanese-style bath that embraces the view of the tree canopy. Directly ahead at the top of the stairs is “a garden which is actually the rooftop of the volume you just walked up from, planted with native creepers and low-lying plants,” says Gilbert. The dining room “is formal but fun” and bookended with glass, and flows into the kitchen and the living room, arguably the home’s most stunning space, where large expanses of glass take in the wilderness and the river beyond. “It’s a big experience – I love standing in this room, watching the light through the trees as they wave back and forth, especially as the sun either comes up or sets.” The final volume houses the client’s art studio, a guest bedroom and bathroom.

Colour is integral to the experience of Taroona House. “The client chose all of the colours on the site, picking up on the natural vegetation and bringing that into the house,” Gilbert explains. “Dulux really unlocked potential and opportunities through that process.” In the main bedroom, Dulux Jungle Cloak is a calming green that echoes the tone of the vegetation seen through floor-to-ceiling glass on three sides. The rumpus room features Dulux Battle Dress, a darker, warm-toned green that reflects the moodier tones of the residence’s southern side. Dulux Classic Calm distinguishes the guest rooms, while Dulux Stowe White provides the ideal neutral background in the studio.

The colour selection was also informed by Gilbert’s experience on the Dulux Study Tour. “It was enlightening and that’s what we’re all after – the transmission of information about the current architectural discourse and the people that operate and produce a lot of the work in that conversation,” he says. “The biggest thing that I took away from it is the connection to the people, the other winners of the competition and the Dulux  staff. They have been extremely valuable mentors to me over the years.”

Connection was also key to Taroona House. “The thing I’m most proud about with this project is the collaboration between us and the clients. Empowering them and giving them space to create a home out of the building that we delivered adds that last critical 10 per cent to the project, which makes it feel like a special home rather than just a piece of design.”

Architecture by Archier. Build by Merlin Constructions. Landscape design by Landart. Materials consulting by Hearth Studio. Engineering by Structured Parametrics.