Architecture Wednesday: River Shack

After that reviled barn conversion of a couple of weeks back—Maddie and I may or may not be making plans to drive to Connecticut and burn it down—this week’s entry is simple, and spare and minimalist; and I’m here for it.

The shack/eco-home is constructed from a mix of cement fiber, plasterboard, ironbark, spotted gum, and recycled timbers, including 200-year-old electricity poles from the early colonial settlement of Marramarra Creek. The design revolves around its remarkable setting, with the centerpiece of the open-plan layout being a single 6-metre-high window overlooking the creek. Facing north, this window opens fully onto an outdoor deck, dissolving the boundary between indoors and outdoors.

While its boxy form references traditional shack architecture, the off-grid house doesn’t skimp on comforts. A floating steel fireplace heats the living room and creates a dramatic focal point, while the interior celebrates craftsmanship with exposed wood throughout. The elevated kitchen has a custom steel sink and cooktop installed and is furnished with bespoke timber furniture. Solar energy and water are harvested on the cabin’s flat roof and stored on-site, making the home fully self-sustainable.

Two bedrooms and a bathroom are tucked at the rear of the cabin, making it suitable as either a full-time residence or a holiday home for those seeking seclusion. I might use it as a second home because it seems very secluded and I need a little something more, but I do love that, for me, it has an Asian feel with the wood and windows and the simplicity of it all.

Plus, if I wanted even more privacy than a tiny river shack, I could purchase the adjacent lot as well …

As always, click to emBIGGERate ...

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