The Australian bush inspires with bird calls, ironbark textures, and eucalyptus scents. For this family of five, the outdoors is their favorite place—camping, hiking, and mountain biking. They desired an open architectural framework and a house immersed in nature, blurring the lines between inside and out. Collaborating with Ben Callery Architects and Keenan Built, Wakanui Trail House offers an adaptable space for their growing family in a luxury treehouse.
“Our clients wanted an extension to comfortably accommodate their growing family and be flexible as they grow … They wanted their house to connect with the outdoors, drawing their living rooms out to their backyard and in turn to the lovely parkland at the back of their property,” says Ben Callery, architect and director at Ben Callery Architects.
Renovation and Design Goals
The original house featured a single-storey, double-fronted Californian bungalow that someone had renovated a few decades earlier. They had relocated the living room and kitchen to the back, but the ceilings remained very low. A deep balcony with a solid roof blocked natural light and obstructed parkland views from entering the home. The project would involve a back renovation/extension, including new laundry and open-plan living/dining as well as a home office space.
A second-storey addition would house a new master bedroom, bathroom and second living room, and the need for a new roof structure presented the opportunity to create an attic play area for the kids. The front facade and existing front bedrooms were retained due to their “nice period charm”, desire to contribute to intact streetscape, and avoiding unnecessary landfill.
A Seamless Connection Between Inside and Out
A design feature throughout this home is the unique connection between internal spaces as well as the surrounding landscape. A central void connects the two levels with sliding glass windows, offering both openness and seclusion. A bookshelf partially encloses the ground-floor study, visually separating it for efficiency while keeping it open to the living areas and view.
“The void is designed to get warming winter sun into the living rooms for passive heating,” says Ben. “This void also provides visual connection to the treetops in the parkland at the rear of the site.”
The open design and outdoor connection exposed the home to public view and heat from the western orientation. Adjustable venetian blinds, internal sheers, and folding-arm awnings provide shading and privacy control. A transparent back fence extends the backyard visually, while plantings and built form obscure the rear boundary.
Natural Materials and Tranquil Living
The Wakanui Trail House is a luxury treehouse that uses an abundance of natural, raw materials throughout its interior. The design incorporates locally sourced materials, such as Victorian ash lining boards and Tasmanian oak flooring, chosen for their organic textures and inherent warmth. Timber slats over the exterior extension block the summer sun and also provide privacy from neighbouring properties. “Their angle uses the synergy between the bevel inherent in their resource-efficient radial sawing and the angle of the low winter sun to provide passive solar heating,” says Ben. This is all part of the open architectural framework designed to connect the family to both the indoors and the outdoors seamlessly.
“My favourite part is the overall feel in the new spaces that are both calming while also quite exciting. The combination of natural materials, natural light and visual connection with the treetops is very tranquil,” he continues.
“Ben Callery Architects has created a house that connects the inside and outside,” say homeowners Avril and Rich. “We are a very outdoors family and enjoy the connection from the living space to our backyard and into the park, along with the use of natural timber in the design. The rooms are designed to allow us to connect as a family — for example, we can open upstairs and be part of the activity downstairs — but also enable us to retreat to our own space. We feel very privileged to be living in a house that provides such a warm and flexible space for our family.”
