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Resilient Architecture | FMD Architects
Resilient Architecture
The word ‘resilient’ has such a broad interpretation. For some architects, this word suggests permanence, a sense of longevity that removes a design from the latest fad or fashion. Others refer to the materials used, plantation-grown sustainable timbers or using materials that respond to the local climate.
The devastating bushfires Australia has experienced, both in 2009 with ‘Black Saturday’ and more recently, over last summer across the continent, certainly make you pause and think about resilient architecture. The onset of COVID-19 has also made architects more conscious of factoring in working more from home. “It’s important to look at creating homes that last, rather than seeing temporary solutions,” says architect Albert Mo, director of Architects EAT.
PHOTOGRAPHY Derek Swalwell, Yaseera Moosa, Dave Kulesza | WORDS Stephen Crafti
FMD Architects
FMD Architects director Fiona Dunin was also mindful of the bushfire zone for a new house along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. The three-level house, including basement carparking, is clad in spotted gum and cement sheets, with the cement applied with a specific paint to prevent damage from the harsh salty condition. “I also wanted to make sure the house felt anchored to the elevated site,” Fiona says, who also used non-corrosive screws.
Project Fairhaven
Photography Derek Swalwell
– Fiona Dunin
Project Fairhaven
Photography FraserMarsden
The interior features a double-height stone wall, along with concrete floors, that act as a heat sink during the winter months. “I wanted the house to feel comfortable all year round,” Fiona says, who included protected outdoor terraces. Working with landscape architects Hansen Partnership, FMD Architects framed the house with appropriate native vegetation that would be resilient to the coastal environment.
