Sitting atop a Gasometer amid what remains of an old flour mill, The Brook House has been specifically designed by small. to capture the views of the wetlands beyond, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Moyne river, lush green meadows and occasional dairy cow.
Located in Rosebrook, the brief asked for a portable dwelling no bigger than a truck trailer in order for it to be easily transported. Despite the size of the home, totalling 27 sqm, the clientele requested that the spaces within the home be spacious and open. small. were able to ensure this through the utilisation of a telescopic frame with a retractable roof and cog system, which enables the roof to be expanded on location and contracted when in transit.
A range of multi use and intersecting spaces ensure the small footprint is used to its maximum. Storage is found amongst the staggered flooring, as well as a concealed space in the kitchen. The lounge room feels spacious due to the double height ceiling, with the mezzanine-style flooring serving as seating for the narrow split level office, which is stepped down from the living room. Steel glass windows and pivot doors encase the study, with copper and ply louvres running parallel to the glass.
The house’s textural palette is informed directly by its rural typology, with rustic red farm sheds and worn coastal buildings providing the inspiration for small. Brook House’s materials are either locally sourced or recycled, with locally felled cypress forming much of the exterior cladding. Elements of the facade and the cypress will change appearance with the weather, making the Brook House look seemingly like a house of twigs that fits seamlessly amongst its surroundings.
Moving inside, the textures and colours chosen carry a strong sense of warmth. Volcanic rock in the bathroom, as well as the robust qualities of concrete and steel intertwine with repurposed hardwood from the building demolition. The entrance staircase and deck consist of recycled from the concrete cow troughs found on the paddock and mesh from an abandoned pig shed.
Small, sustainable, robust and modern, The Brook House is the embodiment of the beauty and genius of contemporary architecture. small. have created a home easily transferred from space to space, that is ironically spacious despite its minimal footprint.
