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Invisible House wins Australian House of the Year
01 August 2014
Concealed within a ridge line in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, this home by Peter Stutchbury Architecture is a truly breathtaking sight.
It’s fitting that the highest accolade of the annual Houses Awards, the Australian House of the Year, be awarded to a project that celebrates and embraces its quintessentially Australian wild bush setting.
The Invisible House, located on a 75-hectare property in the Megalong Valley on the west side of the Blue Mountains, fits perfectly within its surrounds. Not only is the site beautiful for its view, the home's ridge-line position shields it against the often inhospitable winds and unforgiving sun of the region.
Materials were chosen to reflect the choice of location, with concrete, glass and steel used for the exterior, plywood for the ceilings and raw brass for the fittings. A cantilevering roof creates shade and collects water – essential to rural Australian life – and its rust and silver-grey tones both camouflage and accent the striking structure.
Large windows and sliding shutter doors allow the rooms to be opened to the elements, while a central courtyard complete with a firepit lends common areas the feel of a campsite.
Though originally built as a home and retreat for a Sydney filmmaker and artist (it took a local builder three years to complete), the Invisible House is now available to book as luxury accommodation under the name Angel Wing.