Cooroy House

The Cooroy House is a modest, off-grid home, immersed within its landscape. Taking cues from the surrounding timber and tin cottages of the area, the lightweight, single-storey structure is simple and cost-effective. Raised above the ground on a single platform, it imposes minimal disruption to the sensitive site. The house is composed of a series of pavilions and courtyard gardens stitched together by a linear verandah spine. This external space acts as the main circulation route, providing its occupants with a constant connection to the landscape. The main courtyard is framed by the building on one side and the sloping hillside on the other, offering a protected retreat embedded within the expansive site. The building is positioned along the contours of the hill and oriented to the northeast to capture warming winter sun into the L-shaped plan. Operable screens and planting provide protection from the harsher summer weather. The house is completely off-grid, with solar power, tank water, and a septic system. Minimal concrete was used—just for footings—helping to reduce its carbon footprint. The project involved minimal earthworks, with the house sitting off the ground, allowing the existing terrain to remain relatively untouched. The clients have also spent years regenerating the site, removing invasive plant species and planting a selection of local endemic plants.