Italian Hill
Material: Renderd strawbale, cypress pine, cedar weatherboard
Built: 1998, additions 2004
Location: Daylesford
The Italian Hill house began its life as Bed & Breakfast accommodation, lavishly decorated with furnishings by local artisans, a brass clawfoot bath and rich timber ceiling linings.
The steep hillside nature of the site necessitated a timber floor construction which resulted in a dramatic north deck and corner bedroom windows ‘floating’ into space.
Where it was structurally difficult to use strawbale, the external appearance has been articulated by the use of cypress pine shiplap cladding and cedar weatherboard.
The cypress pine subfloor is durable without the need for treating, is naturally termite resistant, and plantation grown.
Timber double-glazed windows complete the highly insulated sealed building envelope and the palette of natural materials.
