Materiality and Form - Mount Martha House by Edition Office

Located in Mount Martha, the like-named abode takes its inspiration from mid-century icons.

At the core of the Australian occasional home is a purposed ‘relaxed-ness’.

Speaking to the non-permanent home vernacular, the appropriation of scale and materiality were at the vanguard of the design intent. Chosen for the low level of maintenance required, the concrete breezeblock is a prominent feature of the façade. Laid on its side, breezeblocks allow not only for a textural variation, but also for an ease of airflow and ventilation, ideally responding to its proximity to the coast. Combined with this efficient and structurally-stable block is the use of steel and timber, both also minimal and deliberately non-distributive of the overall form.

The concrete breezeblock is a prominent feature of the façade.

Situated in an elevated vantage point, the lines of the exterior form of the home are an extension of the hillside context it sits amongst, creating a datum line upon which the home resides. The expansive views beyond overlook Port Phillip Bay and purposed openings are directed in through opened vistas, to allow for this view to become an extension of the interior. Within the exterior walls lies a series of living and communing spaces, held together through internal courtyards.

The expansive views beyond overlook Port Phillip Bay and purposed openings are directed in through opened vistas.

Edition Office has taken inspiration from the traditional Australian beach shack, and its primitive ‘make-do’ philosophy of construction through found or unused items, and through a refined and measured lens, crafted a home that could exist appropriately anywhere. Their specific response to its location’s coastal demands of materiality and maintenance, together with a sustainable and climate-responsive build show a sophistication in execution while still imbuing a sense for the relaxed nature of the typology. The influences of Australian and American mid-century modern are clear, and the resulting form is one of enviable proportions.

The Mount Martha project is an example of the coastal home asking more of itself, where its independence and longevity create a sense of strength, further enabling its inhabitants to relax and enjoy the views beyond.