A modern house in Hoebert, Tasmania, designed by local interior design studio Archier. Behind an old 1850s dairy farm in Battery Point, a black glassed-in summerhouse reflects a jumble of sky, leaves and nearby old buildings. Just as the building becomes very simple at once, but seems to contain a lot of things around it, Hampden Road House finds a timeless elegance in combining a range of needs and ambitions.

Hampden Road House is defined by a balance between connection and separation.Aware of the historic value of the site, the alteration and addition to this 1850’s cottage and former milk depot was designed to be unapologetically modern while remaining sympathetic to its surroundings through the ‘house and garden’ typology which references the finer grain traditionally seen in Battery Point.

Due to the heritage listing of the cottage, the pavilion needed to be discreet. A dark exterior and low-lying form hides the addition behind the cottage.  Utilising the entire site the pavilion frames numerous courtyards which distribute the outdoor space through the home. Large floor to ceiling windows offers views, filtered by landscaping, through the courtyard to activities occurring elsewhere in the house.

Continuous glazing wraps around the central courtyard, reflecting the landscape and neighbouring heritage homes. Semi-gloss rendered walls, set away from the courtyard windows, provide a backdrop for an impressive art collection, while sculptures emerge from moody alcoves, blurring the experience between home and gallery.Consequently, the courtyard, the glazing and the walls create a semi-permeable veil allowing occupants to remain visually connected while engaging in their own pastimes.