Blending into the Jungle - Planchonella House by Jesse Bennett Studio

Passive and climatic design strategies are at the core of what define Jesse Bennett Studio’s approach to architecture; and it is with these principles in mind that architect Jesse Bennett and interior designer Anne-Marie Campagnolo designed and built Planchonella House together. The husband and wife team are described by the Jury of the Australian Institute of Architects Robyn Boyd Award in 2015 as “an architect/builder/inventor and an interior innovator at their combined best.” The couple proceeded to win the National Award for Residential Architecture for Planchonella House that same year. During the two-year construction period, both Bennett and Campagnolo took very active roles in the building of their dream home – from clearing the site by hand and digging service trenches, to building the home and a lot of the furniture, even camping on site during the build. It was the most immersive way to learn about this environment and design something truly harmonious to its place. Taking great time in research and examination to understand the patterns of this dense rainforest area was essential in developing a successful design. Jesse states, “we looked at the immediate site and its surrounding environment with utmost regard for the unabated, punishing tropical climate.”

To design a jungle home, the patterns of the jungle must be closely observed to ensure they are not disrupted by the added presence.

The large overhead mass, fitted with rooftop garden, is inspired by the rainforest tree canopy to provide coolth to the living spaces below.

Amongst the Planchonella trees of Edge Hill, Cairns, in Far North Queensland bordering Mount Whitfield Conservation Park is the site for Jesse Bennett Studio’s one-of-a-kind jungle home.

The master suite, bedrooms, bathrooms and studio space are enveloped by the lush rainforest surrounding.

For Jesse and Anne-Marie, Planchonella House has been an experiment and a lesson, but most of all a home. It has launched their careers in ways they could not have expected and displays their skills unattached from any trends or formulas.“ I think our nomadic way of living and running our studio, combined with our creative endeavours in other fields helps us to look at things from a unique point of view,” Anne-Marie states in reflection to their recent successes. In 2019, Jesse Bennett Studio will be opening a studio in Melbourne, though will maintain their free-spirited approach to life and work of creating vibrant projects all over the world.

It is more than a house on a block of land, it is a participating member of an ecosystem that will continue to better as it grows into the jungle.

“I think our nomadic way of living and running our studio, combined with our creative endeavours in other fields helps us to look at things from a unique point of view”.