A bold interpretation of an architectural farm house, Daylesford Longhouse seeks to rediscover how to live with the land. Recentering on the fundamental nature of our existence and self-sustained living, Partners Hill expertly imagines a beautiful home that sets the tone for a revived way of living that may be crucial for a sustainable future.

Located in a charming country town near Melbourne, Daylesford Longhouse sits on an elevated ridge, accommodating the sweeping views of the Australian landscape that the house sits so well within. The challenge was to uncover how an architectural farm house could flourish in a place where the land is deeply exposed to vast populations of ravenous grazing wildlife, extreme temperature variations, strong winds and a lack of water.

The concept for the architectural farm house was about having a community hub to hone skills of self-sufficiency, exchange knowledge and run programs where other people can learn. The home’s façade blends into the landscape in a way that doesn’t dominate, echoing the ethos of the residence. The multi-functional estate includes a large shed that houses a domestic dwelling at the eastern end, a garden kitchen and an intimate Airbnb and sleeping quarters.

The holistic approach behind the architectural farm house guides its strong sustainable focus. Research centred on how other societies lived at other times and explored agricultural models of being able to leave most of the landscape as is, allowing the structure to lend itself to self-sustained living.

The outcome is a home that is inherently sustainable and part of the land – from the rooms to the very way the building functions. For example, the structure sits on a minimal footing with a gravel floor and a 1000-square-metre roof acts as a water harvesting device. The home is open to the surrounding landscape in every aspect. The kitchen transforms when the doors are rolled back and the roof retracts, allowing the feeling of cooking outside.

The initial challenge of building an architectural farm house on such beautiful but just as equally hostile land meant something truly remarkable was born. Upon visiting, people leave somewhat changed, whether that be through a sense of wonderment in having experienced something different, or that re-found connection with the land. Daylesford Longhouse is not about luxury or a time to disconnect, it is about reconnecting to the land and the very nature of living, working and making.

00:00 - Introduction to the Architectural Farmhouse
00:37 - The Architect and Design Custodian
01:25 - A Walkthrough of the Home
02:30 - Research of the Agricultural Model
03:12 - The Concept of the Space
03:44 - Living and Working in the Space
04:04 - Establishing a Greenhouse
04:30 - The Extraordinary Kitchen
05:02 - The Unfolding of the Multifaceted Home
05:44 - Leaving the Location A Changed Person
06:02 - A Collection of Small Ideas
06:41 - The Architects Proud Moments

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Photography by Gavin Green.
Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Design and Furniture Design by Partners Hill.
Build by Nick Andrew Construction.
Engineering by Tim Hall & Associates.
Brickwork by Elvis & Rose.
Branding by Studio Ongarato.
Mural Artwork by Grace McKellar.
Filmed and edited by Dan Preston.
Production by The Local Project.

The Local Project acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land in Australia. We recognise the importance of Indigenous peoples in the identity of our country and continuing connections to Country and community. We pay our respect to Elders, past and present and extend that respect to all Indigenous people of these lands.

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