Windbreak—Wind-Resistant House in Northern Tasmania

A knoll, a view, a kinked river boundary and the ever-present wind. These are the four challenges that Launceston studio Cumulus integrated and resolved on a former grazing property at Relbia in northern Tasmania.

James and Alice acquired the subdivided property eight years ago from Alice’s parents who had lived there for 40 years. This region has been farmed since the 1850s; prior to that, the clans of the Stoney Creek Nation fed from its rivers and plains.

Rehabilitation of the degraded grazing land and riparian zone of the North Esk River had already started, part of a 10-year plan. Severe infestations of hawthorn and gorse were removed before the planting of over 2000 native grasses, shrubs and trees could begin. Even prior to that, a geotechnical survey was commissioned as the general area is prone to landslip.

In 2018, James and Alice decided it was time to build, and they knew they wanted to work with Cumulus, having already liked projects the firm had undertaken around Tasmania. Project architect Phil Ackerly began the design/consult process with an unusual activity. By walking around the site with both the surveyor and owners, and pegging potential house sites, they could see where the wind was shielded and the best points to conceal or reveal the views. In doing this, Phil demonstrated several points: first, the peak of the knoll (the owners’ desired location) wasn’t necessarily the best spot on which to build; second, the views to the south could be retained by integrating a protected courtyard. The views to the south, in particular, are spectacular, but the south is also the source of year-long fierce winds and reduced solar gain.

James and Alice came with an open design brief, but with some clear requirements: the house had to be practical, have a lot of storage space, cater for a family of five (including three young sons), be their long-term family home and have wall space for art. The design approach was, as Phil describes it, “many small steps”, exploring ideas, and then simplifying and editing rigorously. James concedes that when many of the original ‘wants’ were reduced – but “not compromised” – due to budget constraints, they realised they weren’t actually vital.

The garden also had to be robust, virtually self-sustaining and attract birds and other wildlife. James and Alice commissioned local garden planner, Martin Ruzicka, to design plantings around the house and in the courtyard. Again, they wanted a local designer who had a working knowledge of endemic species; hardened rehab and garden tubestock was largely sourced from Habitat Nursery in Liffey, and has established readily.

A key design component is the double reveal. The first occurs following the entry to the property, on the driveway to the house. As other neighbouring houses, the main road and cul-de-sac are left behind, the views to Mt Barrow and Ben Lomond are gasp-worthy. Arrival at the front door is almost an anticlimax, as the view is lost. Internally, the long corridor (which is also the ‘gallery’ space) kinks, then suddenly opens out to reveal a more detailed view of river, a distant vineyard and the broader landscape. The kitchen itself has what Alice calls “little views” of the hills and river. To increase internal space, the garage opens at both ends, also with views through.

The house, which is double-glazed, has a wood heater, underfloor bathroom heating and acoustic insulation, is completely draught-free, thanks largely to the protective courtyard. James cites an occasion when recently hosting visitors; the wind, he says, was “crazy, coming from all directions, but in the courtyard, not a gust – it was calm and warm”. The materials palette is simple, rustic and raw, in keeping with local farm buildings, and includes shiplapped, rough-sawn, spotted gum cladding (without sealant).

An additional ‘tractor shed’ (including a workshop) is a planned later addition that will emulate the angular forms of the main house. As the roof of the main house has an unusual and carefully designed, super-clean profile which mirrors the line of the land, future solar panels will be detached or on the roof of the shed.

As pragmatic, working clients with active children, James and Alice reveal what they like about their home. For Alice it’s as prosaic as the laundry chute, and her “little views”; James values the connections it has with the landscape, and the corridor gallery. What started conceptually for the clients as lightweight, is now, through keen site-reckoning, a weighted, wind-resistant building that partially sinks into its setting for protection, with minimal site disturbance.