Innovative Holiday Home Redefines Living in Australian Bushland

High in the canopy of a eucalyptus forest in New South Wales, a unique holiday home, designed by Jason Gibney Design Workshop, offers a striking balance between connection to nature and protection from its extremes. The project, named “Amongst the Eucalypts,” reimagines living within fire-prone Australian bushland, creating a space that embraces the surrounding environment while addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

The clients approached JGDW with a vision that sought both refuge and connection. They desired a home that could evoke the immersive experience of camping while providing safety from the harsh realities of the bush. The result is a residence where family and friends can gather communally yet still find moments of solitude within nature’s embrace.

Architectural Harmony with Nature

The architectural response is a study in balance. Positioned high on a steeply sloped site, the holiday home contours naturally along the hill. Its split form creates intimate spaces while maintaining what the jury of the 2025 NSW Architecture Awards described as “a quiet dialogue between space and landscape.” This design does not dominate its setting, nor does it shy away from it; instead, it unfolds to meet the forest, functioning as both observer and participant in the landscape.

Material choices reflect the reality of building in bushfire-prone areas. The raw and robust palette includes plywood, lightweight cladding, and metal, all of which blend seamlessly into the remote setting. These materials not only offer low maintenance but also crucial protection from fire. Their aging process in the elements develops character, reducing the need for constant intervention.

What distinguishes this project is its embrace of impermanence. The operable facade allows the home to open and close in response to the elements, transforming its relationship with the outdoors. Outdoor washrooms and a flexible interior reinforce the camping-inspired approach, blurring the lines between inside and outside. The architecture encourages a way of living that is adaptable and responsive to seasonal changes and the rhythms of nature.

Acknowledgment and Recognition

Constructed by Midcoast Construction on Worimi land, the home received a Commendation for Residential Architecture at the 2025 NSW Architecture Awards and recognition in the Sustainable Architecture category at the National Architecture Awards Program. The jury praised the design team for addressing the pressing question of how to build responsibly in fire-prone landscapes.

Photography by Justin Alexander captures the home’s unique position, illustrating its coexistence among the eucalypts. The residence neither floats above nor is buried within the forest; it exists in harmonious balance.

As climate change intensifies fire seasons across Australia, projects like “Amongst the Eucalypts” offer more than aesthetic pleasure. They demonstrate that living in bushland does not necessitate a choice between connectivity to nature and safety from it. The home stands as evidence that thoughtful design can create genuine sanctuaries, places where engagement with the landscape occurs alongside the comfort of protection from nature’s extremes.

This innovative approach to architecture not only enhances the living experience but also sets a precedent for future developments in fire-prone areas.