Small town Australia isn't necessarily where you'd expect to find great architecture. But then Invermay House, a modernist-inspired home for a family of six, is designed to smash expectations.
A cantilevered rectangular shape allows for maximum views from a hillside location, in a small town outside the city of Ballarat in the state of Victoria.
Two large terraces emerge from a concrete-floored open-plan living space, double height at the front to add to the sense of being at one with the great outdoors.
Floor-to-ceiling windows punched into the sides frame greenery and provide a symmetrical arrangement from the outside. Concrete is widely used, but there is no sense of this building being uncomfortable with its surroundings, largely because of the use of fire-resistant wood cladding and extensive glass.
Wood is widely used inside to offset polished concrete. There are elements to surprise and delight, such as an elegant sliding door to a private study.
Invermay House is the work of Moloney Architects. On this evidence, this unsung practice is a shining example of the quiet revolution in Australian architecture, a revolution that's emerging in smaller, bespoke projects for individuals, rather than larger buildings, whether privately or publicly funded.
Invermay House has the mark of a building designed to last. And, indeed, that's a stated aim of architects Mick and Jules Moloney, who say they "strive to create enduring structures".
We'd humbly suggest this spectacular piece of domestic design easily meets that aim.
We'll keep you up to date.
