Sympathetically responding to the scale of the original stone cottage on site, a series of linked contemporary pavilions are repeated along the site in a sweeping motion that optimises views out across the valley. Located amongst the still and quietness that is the Adelaide Hills, Balhannah Pavilions combines the repurposing of the cottage as the dedicated guest suite, with the new pavilions accommodating the primary living spaces, a master bedroom and a study.

In responding to the scale and materiality of the existing built fabric on site, the pavilions maintain a familiarity in scale and form, while also allowing for more open connections internally, and with the landscape. With lifted rooflines and deep reveals, the architectural response invites light to filter inward, animating the interiors across each of the three distinct pavilions. Positioned to capture expansive westerly views over a nearby dam and gum trees, with deep eave forms tempering the afternoon sun, the approach balances both an openness with moments of retreat and compressed intimacy.

A cohesive connection between old and new is formed through the continuation of a robust and locally sourced material palette of stone, timber, and corrugated steel, with the timber deck echoing the traditional verandah setting. Outdoor living amongst the surrounding natural elements was an important focus for the expansion of the home, while still retaining heritage roots. With framed views both outward and upward across the site – and with moments of layered warmth and hand-made textures – the result sits appropriately aligned to its rural setting as a home of balance and calm.