HMM Residence
Main Ridge, Victoria
2022 -
This project is a coastal home in Mornington Peninsula Shire, shaped by exposure, orientation and the changing character of light across seasons. The architecture prioritises atmosphere and shelter, using a clear sequence of arrival, protected edges and framed outlook to anchor daily life.
Openings were calibrated to borrow light while moderating glare and wind, and to maintain privacy without closing the house to landscape. Materials were selected for durability in coastal conditions and the way they weather, so the home becomes more grounded and familiar over time.
The HMM Residence is a contemporary rural homestead in the Mornington Peninsula designed to age with its growing family over time.
Positioned at the centre of a sloping site, the home will be largely concealed by generous setbacks and heavily vegetated boundaries. Upon approach, visitors are greeted with a central forecourt, which serves as a windbreak from the surrounding elements and as a more intimate garden setting before revealing views of the valley beyond.
From the west, as the site falls away, the low-lying built form is more clearly visible. A colonnade extends across the length of the facade and evokes the generous verandas of traditional Australian homes. The main living areas open onto the colonnade, while ancillary rooms connect to smaller landscaped areas or the central courtyard. No more than one room deep throughout, the home is designed to maximise light and ventilation.
A limited material palette featuring bagged brickwork and terracotta tiles creates an uncluttered, robust backdrop to life within the home, allowing the spaces to age gracefully and evolve with the family over time.
Project Architect: Ben Schmideg
3D Visualisations by Klaudia Adamiak
Related Editorial: On Openings, Courtyards, Time as a Material.
