Marie Short House

Description

This detached house is a true manifesto of Murcutt’s domestic architecture, blending modern tradition with the vernacular, with references to both the Mies Van Der Rohe Pavilion and Australian agricultural pavilions. The project consists of two parallel pavilions connected by a large gutter that collects the abundant rainfall during the rainy season. Marie Short’s desire to have a house that is warm in winter and cool in summer guided the project decisions and the technological solutions applied. One of the most interesting features is the ‘triple skin’ of the façade, which includes two blinds that can be adjusted both internally and externally, not only to regulate the temperature, but also to control openness to the landscape and privacy. The structure of the building takes the form of a series of oregon pine columns on the façade, allowing the interior space to flow and later facilitating the extension of the house using the same layout. The roof, on the other hand, is a gabled corrugated metal roof. For the construction of this house, the architect drew on the know-how of local builders based on agricultural structures. In this way, he has created a house that enriches from the technological and human context of the site and builds the landscape with an eye to the future.