Lightwood Farm is a new home located near Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula. Bordered by state forest and farmland, it sits at the end of a winding track bordered by fern gullies and creeks.

Replacing an aging farmhouse, the project interrogates what it means to inhabit a landscape that can be simultaneously beautiful and hostile, balancing pragmatic requirements with a sensitivity to the context and climate.

The design challenge was to maximise the views whilst providing shelter from the strong winds that roll in from the south-west. In response, the design takes an L-shape form, presenting protective linear edges to the oncoming weather. Sliding screens create a façade that enjoys the aspect but offers refuge from inclement weather.

Referencing the pragmatic forms of local agricultural structures, the home maintains a low profile, quietly sitting within its broader context. Materials were chosen to blend softly with the landscape, with a focus on robust, honest, locally sourced and simple selections paired with elegant detailing and finely crafted assembly.

Images by @blachford