8/8/2019 Antipodean Cocoon

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Seenfromafar thisextraordinary

a r

h o u s e

A i d

H OUSE , W YE RIVER,A USTRALIA

ARCHITECT

BELLEMO & C AT

H OUSE , W YE RIVER,A USTRALIA

ARCHITECT

BELLEMO & C AT

1

8/8/2019 Antipodean Cocoon

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galvanised steel support its bulk,so it appears to hover weightlesslyabove the steeply slopingground.A gangplank at one end connect sit with a small barbecue areaand awindingapproach track.

Wit hin the bulbous metalcarapace, a plywood-lined boxhouses the main living and diningspaces which face south towards aridge of hills and the oceanbeyond. Here, the long side of thecocoon has been squared off andglazed to create ahuge vitri ne andcantilevered terr ace, maximisinglight and views.

Inside, the spaces dovetailtogether with the economicprecision of a small boat orcaravan. The main bedro om istucked into the cocoon’s snoutformingasnugsleepingburrow,perforated by narrow skylights.Bunk beds for children and abathroom lined wit h tr anslucentgreen resin, are slotted in nextdoor. The kit chen runs alongthelongnorth side of the main livingand dining space. The pineplywood li ninghas been coatedwith l imewash, to prevent itturning orange. Though itsorientatio n means that sun from

the nort h is largely cut off by thetr ees, the house is warmed by anopen fir eplace and is highlyinsulated.

The lightweight monocoquestructure is ahybrid of techniquesappropriated from boat buildingand aircr aft engineering. Theinternal ri gid rectangular box wasbuilt fi rst and plywood r ibs addedto generate the basic cocoonshape. Green hardwoo d battenswere then attached to the ribs,formingfixingpoints for thenarrow steel shingles. Like awoven basket, the meshingtogether of t he various elements

– r ibs, battens and shingles – creates astr ong, stable,composite structure. Details wereoften resolved on-site, so thewhole construction has ar ustic,makeshift air. Thoughundoubtedly achallenge to designand build, the outcome is a delight

– an antipodean primit ive hut forthe twenty-fir st century. C. S.

ArchitectBellemo & Cat, Melbourne, AustraliaStructural engineerPeter FelicettiPhotographsMark Munro

3Main bedroom in the cocoon snout.4The curved monocoque form isclad insteel shingles.5Spindly legssupport the house in thesteep terrain.6Main living and dining room, aplywood-lined box-with-a-view.ground floor plan (scale approx 1:200)

long section

H OUSE , W YE RIVER,AUSTRALIAARCHITECTBELLEMO & C AT

1 ent rancegangplank2 living3 dining4 kitchen5 bathroom6 laundry/wc7 bunk beds8 main bedroom9 deck

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