Cape Tribulation House M3architecture
With a brief to create a home that stands off-grid and accentuates the qualities of the rainforest combined with the attributes of holiday life at the beach, m3architecture had a challenging task.
Clearly not a design team to shy away from a challenge, m3architecture have embraced this project to design a unique home that seems to just blend in amongst the ancient ecosystem with ease.
A simple, unobtrusive path choreographs the journey from the road, through the dense vegetation and down to the beach.
Along the path, a continuous white rope orients and playfully leads the way through the landscape and house, performing feats of domesticity along the way: a gate, a balustrade, a towel rail, a lamp shade and support for a hammock.
The structure which combines dark façade panels with exposed timber elements, seems to unfold and open up as you wonder through the spaces, yet disappear into the shadows of the rainforest. Mirrored glass further camouflages the house within its environment.
On approach, the interior of the house becomes apparent: a light space clad with plywood, a counterpoint to the otherwise cool, dark green of the rainforest surrounds. These spaces engage the rainforest canopy via tall south facing windows and a dark blue ceiling foreground is used to draw in the rainforest canopy.
The home expands and contracts with the humidity and the varying weather conditions. m3architecture have given this site the sensitivity it deserves while creating a house ideal for a dynamic outdoor holiday lifestyle.
Head to m3architecture’s website to see this project and more.
Photography: Peter Bennetts