Yatte Yattah House sits high on 25 acres of land above a clearing; it overlooks two dams and the Budawang Range. Sited to take advantage of views, prevailing breezes and for bushfire protection, it is a refined house that has a deep connection to its natural surroundings. The house comprises three bedrooms, two bathrooms, living, eating, kitchen facilities and a studio; all spaces are open to a northern colonnade that functions as an external corridor.
The palette of materials and design details are durable, relatively low cost, direct and simple. Built by a local builder and tradesmen, the single storey house has an exposed steel frame that is clad in galvanised corrugated steel. Floors are concrete with bespoke Spotted Gum joinery throughout. Sliding doors, windows and louvres all have screens for both ember and insect protection. The house’s survival of the Black Summer bushfire in 2019 is a testament to its endurance.
The house is also highly adaptable. A couple can inhabit the eastern half of the house; family members and friends who are staying over can be accommodated in the western half.
Every room has a deep connection with the outside. The house can be opened up completely, dematerialising the house and letting the interior become part of the landscape and the sky.
The house was designed to reduce its impact on the environment. The linear plan, a single room width its entire length, allows all rooms to access to sunlight and natural ventilation. The concrete floor provides a uniform thermal mass in the cold winter months. The house can operate mostly off the grid through the use of solar tubes and photovoltaic panels, reuse of collected rainwater and recycling of waste water for garden use.
