Home of the Hill - Thornton Residence by Doherty Design Studio and Detail 9 Architects

The home, situated within a private golf course, is designed for Melbourne-based clients as a “lock and leave” country escape. The couple expressed their desire for a cosy getaway for two that could also accommodate larger groups of visiting friends and family. The solution to divide the floorplate into three separate pavilions connected by glass walkways allows the house to be used and closed off as required, whilst the central living pavilion remains connected and intimate. Sleeping spaces branch east and west from the central pavilion, additionally bridged by a rounded terrace encompassing views southward to the Cathedral Ranges.

During the warmer months the full-height glazing is completely pulled back to expand the living spaces to the natural views beyond. The relationship between the interior and outdoors is balanced and in harmony. Each element exists in its own right and in symbiosis with the other. This is achieved through activating complementary connections and exploring a subtle avenue of biophilia to replicate natural patterns and methodology within an interior. The result is a calming and easy environment to inhabit.

Thornton Residence acts as the viewing point for its natural setting and takes cues from the scenes of which it frames. The refined colour palette is accentuated by a hue of blue that could have been plucked directly from the bordering mountain ridge. An organic collage of layered textures that play in both scale and finish create visual interest down to the finest detail.

Just as nature’s grand beauty is content to exist as the humble backdrop for our daily lives, Thornton Residence provides the foundation for retreat without ostentation. An uncluttered environment that provides space to absorb the calm of nature and reset from the bustle of city life, through this interior, Doherty Design Studio express the art of ‘less is more’ to achieve clarity of mind and design.