The Ultimate Off-Grid House Built on the Edge of a Cliff (House Tour)

Embedded in the landscape, Always by Kennedy Nolan is an off-grid house of contrast – balancing light and dark, openness with retreat, and a sense of casualness with high performance.

The off-grid house sits humbly within the streetscape. Kennedy Nolan designed the house to ensure it isn’t visible from the street; it is intended to eventually be enveloped by the native landscape, its form weaving itself intricately and seamlessly within the surroundings. “From the beach, it should recede into the landscape over time, and so what we did was pull it [the home] into the side of the cliff so that it would be less and less visible,” notes founding partner of Kennedy Nolan, Patrick Kennedy.

The home is also robust, needing to withstand the harsh coastal climate, potential erosion and windy conditions typical of the Morning Peninsula where the off-grid house resides. “One of the challenges in building here is that, geologically, it is one of the most difficult soil conditions you can find in Victoria,” says Kennedy.

Beyond the bespoke front gates, designed by Indigenous designer Jack Nash who also named the off-grid house in reference to the principle of ‘always was, always will be, Aboriginal land,’ the house exists in several parts. “At the top of the site is a guesthouse and as you move down the cliff, you enter through a stone wall into an entry deck and from that deck there are several pathways into the house,” says Kennedy. “The planning is deliberately informal, designed to make you experience the landscape and the garden,” he continues. This constant connection to the outdoors enhances the sense of immersion and acts as a reminder of place.

In this sense, the design appears simple and grounded. Kennedy explains; “this house looks and feels like a beach house – it's relaxed and casual – but it’s also extremely high-performing.” He explains how this is different from many Australian beach houses in terms of thermal comfort, being both comfortable and energy efficient.

Finishes and materials are dominated by raw, natural and solid qualities that require a level of low maintenance. The stone and hard masonry on the exterior will soften over time as the planted landscape grows and eventually encompasses much of the structure. The interiors are all lined in natural materials that are non-reflective, such as timber. The choice of materials also plays into reinforcing an overall colour scheme, which is warm and tonal. To determine a colour scheme, Kennedy Nolan took cues from the client’s interest in Indigenous art as well as the hues of natural materials.

In this sense, there is a constant play between lightness and dark within the off-grid house. “We love to be in the light, to see the sun … but we are also aware that in Australia, that can sometimes be an uncomfortable thing,” explains Kennedy.

“When I think about what I’m most proud of … it’s that Always is a house that is going to improve with age; it feels like it is a place that is going to belong to this landscape over time,” reflects Kennedy. Anchored in place with strong materials, Always speaks to its namesake – a humble shelter that aims to remain unchanged for many years to come.

00:00 - Introduction to the Ultimate Off-Grid House
01:28 - Incorporating Indigenous Design
01:51 - The Layout and Structure of the House
03:02 - A Tonal Colour Palette
03:21 - Approaching Light and Darkness Through Materials
04:36 - Proud Moments

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Photography by Derek Swalwell.
Architecture by Kennedy Nolan.
Landscape design by Amanda Oliver Gardens.
Filmed by Derek Swalwell and Rubin Utama.
Edited by Harrison Moss.
Production by The Local Production.

Location: Flinders, New South Wales, Australia

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

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