Designed by James Stockwell Architects, The Croft House is a rural home with a modern design that is built on the southern coast of Victoria, Australia, where harsh winds and rain prevail. This futuristic looking house may appear to be in heavy contrast with its surroundings, but the design draws inspiration from the environment while also offering protection from its unkind weather. The architecture acts as a type of fortress for its residents while maintaining the utmost comfort inside.
Inspired by sand dunes, the slumped crescent form is both eye-catching and serves a purpose. It is not completely arbitrary as the curved outer wall acts as a wind barrier, shielding the garden found inside the crooked mouth of the home and the multiple alcoves dotting both sides of the design. The exterior walls of the structure, covered in grey zinc, also reference the popular local use of corrugated metal as cladding, which adds a favorable element of no-hassle maintenance.
The cold, gray exterior conceals the warm wooden interior that is covered in ash paneling with compressed sand partitions to help section off the enormous open floor plan. A large wood-burning stove is found in the center of the layout which warms the entire house with help from both extremely insulated walls and under-floor heating.
An architect behind the project explains: “The design looks at the core idea of shelter in an exposed environment, and that shelter may contain all the necessary activities of domestic life in an uncompromised way but that the activities are enhanced by participating in the whole and each yields to the other to a much greater extent. It is shielding, robust and embracing.”
