- Project: Merricks House
- Architect: Aktis Architects
- Location: Australia, Melbourne
- Year: 2023
- Area: 465 m2
- Photography: Timothy Kaye
In Melbourne, Australia, Merricks House by Aktis Architects asserts itself as a monumental residence of form and materiality. Completed in 2023, this 5,005-square-foot home embraces its rural site with unapologetic presence, balancing openness to the landscape with a powerful architectural language rooted in concrete, steel, and natural finishes.
From Submerged Concept to Monumental Presence
The initial design envisioned a structure half-submerged into the rising terrain. But as the design process evolved, a new strategy emerged: to celebrate rather than conceal the house. Set above the flood plain with a three-meter elevation change to the north, Merricks House sits proudly in its flat, rural setting, commanding attention with its bold geometry.
Spatial Planning and Light
The orientation of the site posed a challenge: expansive views stretched south across native vegetation, while the north offered the best access to sunlight. The solution was to open the house toward the southern views while integrating skylights and courtyards that flood the interiors with warm northern light.
The resulting layout follows a linear configuration, eliminating wasted circulation spaces. A structural grid system organizes the interior, bringing clarity and rhythm while contrasting with the untamed rural landscape outside.
Form and Materiality
The residence is composed of two raking roofs set above robust masonry boxes. This interplay of geometric strength and structural expression creates a sense of permanence.
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Masonry and concrete define the bold exterior volumes.
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Steel framing reinforces the structure’s monumental quality.
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Timber elements enrich the interiors, adding warmth to balance the rawness of stone and concrete.
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Expansive glazing opens the building to its surroundings, contrasting with the solidity of the masonry walls.
Inside, the raw material palette—stone, timber, concrete, and steel—replaces plasterboard and painted surfaces with natural authenticity, fulfilling the client’s vision of a tactile, enduring home.
An Architecture of Contrast
Along the long façade, a colonnade of slender columns frames large windows, dissolving the boundary between structure and landscape. These contrasts—masonry mass versus transparency, raw strength versus refined detail—create an architectural narrative of tension and balance.
A House Anchored in Landscape
Merricks House is more than a private residence; it is an architectural statement of rural monumentality. By combining raw materials, functional clarity, and expressive form, Aktis Architects deliver a home that engages deeply with its site while standing as a timeless object in the landscape.
