From its powerful roofline to the oversized wet-edge pool, this modern take on the traditional barn-style home is impressive from every angle. 

‘The size and the scale of the project worked harmoniously with the rural surrounds,’ says Dayne Lawrie, Managing Director of his Sunshine Coast firm, Dayne Lawrie Constructions. His team worked closely with Sparks Architects to create this one-of-a-kind project in Obi Obi in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. With perfect orientation, the property allows the clients to appreciate both commanding views and glorious sunsets.

The challenge for Spark Architects was to seamlessly blend two very different styles – the rural location and traditional South Pacific architectural forms. The challenge for Dayne and his team was to bring this vision to life.

One of the most striking aspects of the design is the home’s angular roofline, a sculptural wonder that seemingly floats above two monolithic solid stone walls, with the rafters all forming different angles and pitches. Getting this right was a labour of love for Dayne. 

‘I would create drawings of the rafters at home each night, running through the process to figure out how I was going to do it. It’s fair to say I lost some sleep,’ he recalls. ‘The roof beams were expensive, so we couldn’t afford to make any mistakes.’

Painstakingly detailed stonework, coupled with quality off-form concrete flowing from the interior to the external recreation areas, showcases the talents of the building team. This includes 10 full-time staff and an array of subcontractors – many of whom regularly work with Dayne Lawrie Constructions and enjoyed the unusual aspects of the project. 

Dayne says the 21-month build made him ‘think outside the box’. 

‘We weren’t following a traditional building process,’ he explains. ‘In fact, our usual methodology went out the window.’

In an interesting approach, the house was almost built in reverse. 

‘The steel structure, which is not visible in the project, was constructed first,’ Dayne says. ‘Next, the roof frame was built, followed by the stone walls underneath. Then we poured the concrete slab floors, while the roofline was finally added at the end.’ 

Even the entrance of the house has a monumental feel. Two massive pivot doors, built onsite and in situ due to their size and weight, offer a dramatic entry to the living room that feels cavernous under the pitched timber roof beams. 

Recycled spotted gum and ironbark frames were beautifully crafted around large sliding doors that step out to the surrounding bushland. 

A series of South Pacific-inspired pavilions has a natural flowthrough, encouraging the much-loved indoor and outdoor living for the clients. ‘We used locally sourced stone from the Glass House Mountains for all the external walls,’ Dayne says. ‘This complements the recycled hardwood and creates a natural fit with the landscape itself.’

Since the property is spread over a 100-hectare site, the outdoor entertaining area with a kitchen and yoga zone is both private and serene. The recycled beams and battens include an acrylic ceiling behind to allow light to pass through into the outdoor space. 

Natural fireplaces were created using the same Glass House Mountains stone as the house walls. The barbecue and seating area showcases off-form concrete that had weeks of preparation work to produce a quality finish. 

To the side of this space, a large swimming pool encourages more time spent outdoors. When it was built, its wet edge was carefully considered and set out to work with the full tiles. ‘Sitting at the pool’s edge watching the sunset is a truly peaceful experience,’ Dayne says.

As a HIA GreenSmart Professional, Dayne values sustainable outcomes in his projects, and the Barn is a great example of this. It’s fully self-sufficient, with its carbon footprint significantly reduced to respect its magnificent location. Solar panels, rainwater tanks, an onsite sewage treatment system and an 18kW photovoltaic array combined with battery storage are some of the installed eco-products.

‘The project presented endless challenges and hurdles which tested everyone’s skill and problem-solving abilities,’ says Dayne, whose firm was a finalist for the 2023 HIA Australian Outdoor Project award, as well as being the winner of Custom Built Home and Home of the Year for the 2022 HIA Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay Housing and Kitchen & Bathroom Awards. ‘Months of planning and obsessing over every joinery detail in my mind came to fruition. It was a humbling experience to stand back and take it in when finished.’

Materials:

• Roof: Colorbond Klip-Lok Matt; translucent Wonderglass corrugated in Cool Lite White
• Walling: 600mm thick Glass House Mountains basalt solid stone on concrete hob with 10mm shadow line to finished floor/ground heights
• Cladding: Standard structural plywood sheets, face fixed to structure
• Exterior floor and wall tiles: Andorra Limestone, Eco Outdoor
• Fire pit: Real Flame 400x800mm
• Pool: Green Sukabumi Bali quartzite stone tiles; 200mm high frameless glass balustrade.

First published on 1 November 2023