As a modern farmhouse, Wheelers Hill House extends the expected and traditional suburban dialogue to create a uniquely secluded home. Matyas Architects drew inspiration from their raw and natural tones to create a series of spaces that embrace warmth and share open connections. Located in Melbourne's south-east suburbs, Wheelers Hill Residence aims to forge its own model of a spacious and interconnected family home.

Throughout the traditional country farmhouse structure, the monolithic form and its pointed gabled roof suggest an alternative environment that feels grounded and responsive to its surroundings by shrinking and immersing itself in a carefully curated landscape setting. The use of a pointed roof both creates a sense of identity within its environment and adds generous heights inside, creating an unexpected home environment inside. Matyas Architects focused on the tactile and textural elements of the home to create a welcoming and calming place to rest.

The home was built by Marcus Builders and Planera's carpenters with care by its makers. As an extension of the principles established therein, Le Page Design's perimeter landscaping further adds quirky elements and incorporates species that are intentionally adapted but distinct from their surrounding neighbors. The use of stone, wood and handmade brick further adds texture and warmth, in the garden, enclosing the owners and their guests.

Combining all natural and expressive forms carries a sense of restraint throughout. By extending the ceiling plane upwards and utilizing the spired underside of the roof internally, the shared spaces feel larger and more spacious; moments of compression in other areas create a sense of intimacy that matches their more passive functions. Throughout, artificial lighting has been minimized, with a focus on bringing natural light into the interior and connecting the interior with the surrounding landscape, both visually and through open façade elements. While the street is protected for privacy, the main purpose of the landscaping is to further increase the feeling of seclusion and evacuation.