Ahimsa Studio
Artist Studio | New
Completed 2021
Walking onto this property, the beauty and energy of the landscape is palpable.
Our client had a simple and yet specific brief for this project. She wished for an art studio nested in the trees overlooking the lake and valley. It needed a large creation space, a guest bed, bathroom and kitchenette. Most importantly it needed to be in harmony with the land. The rest was up to us.
The character of the existing house was very warm with dark wood tones and enveloped by trees. Her existing outdoor area was an open table in the middle of the lawn. We complemented these spaces by contrasting them in the new build- a light, open, airy art studio and an outdoor space that was covered, protected and warm. This offered a balance of spaces to live in, work in and enjoy.
In constructing the project we needed to tread lightly. The bushfire restrictions, siting, existing buildings and eucalypts meant a carefully calibrated site plan was required. The foundations were excavated delicately, sometimes by hand, so as not to disturb the many tree roots surrounding the house. We were able to use some of the leftover brickwork from the existing house to build the foundations for the studio, providing a nice thread between the old and the new structures.
The resulting studio form is a barn reinterpretation. Clad in charcoal Lysaght enseam the exterior building has a bold geometric structure. Like a subtractive sculpture this prismatic form is conceptually “carved away” to create windows, deck, and an entryway, revealing a rich wooden inner. A mansard roof edge detail, though difficult to execute during construction, allows the exterior fabric to transition from roof to external wall without an edge, gutter or lip and facilitates the building’s clean geometric lines.
Three rectangular skylights penetrate the internal ceiling to provide natural light and the views of the gums above. A wall bed concealed in the joinery allows the space to transform from a studio to a guest flat when desired. The compact kitchen and bathroom provide concise amenities while giving as much space as possible to the studio layout.
We specified mechanical Ossie O flyscreens on the outside of the deck. These descend from concealed ceiling panels at the push of a button, transforming the external deck into an indoor-outdoor screened room. This approach to screening also facilitates an uninterrupted view and light quality in the main studio by removing the requirement for screening on the glazed stacking door set.
Perforated plywood on the art wall allows for flexible configuration for artwork display, and by absorbing sound, aids acoustic management in the studio space.
Landscape Design by Red Belly Design incorporated established elements of the existing garden. Pathways were created to form separate accesses to the studio and to the main house. This allows guests to visit the studio without having to come via the front residence.
In its fruition, Ahimsa Studio forms a space for nurture, for creation, and for enhancing life- in harmony with its place and patron.
Builder- Wayne Elks Building
Engineer- John Tozer- Consulting Engineer Pty Ltd.
Plastering- Gyptech Interior Linings
Landscape Design- Garry Murray from Red Belly Design
Landscaping- Green Thumb Landscapes
Photo credit: Envogue Wedding and Portrait
