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McGuire built the wooden decks into the landscape from the primary spaces to facilitate a more intimate sense of indoor-outdoor connection.

A brick path leads through the forest to the entrance of House of the Tall Chimneys. “Bricks are a really cost effective way of creating space,” says architect Ant Vervoort. “Over and above that, when used correctly, bricks create complex patterns that I don’t think it’s possible to mimic using other materials.”

The entrance to House of the Big Arch is a nine-meter-tall passage, which creates a high-pressure system that pulls cool air into the kitchen.

The living room leads up to a pitched-roof alcove, the perfect meditation and lounge space. It features a bean bag chair from GAN, and a Trifecta Table by Future Perfect.

With white oak treads and a steel-and-glass railing, the new staircase is much more elegant.

"The design went through several changes to eventually get to the accepted design," says Wendy van Niekerk. "We were very intensely involved from the start of the design to the final design."

These steps lead to the rooftop garden. They run alongside the master bathroom, which features a glazed corner detail inspired by Carlo Scarpa's Canova Museum.

The planted grass roofs are a recreation of the landscape that existed before the home was built. They are dynamic landscapes that change with the seasons.

"Wendy and Lukas were looking for a natural, sporty lifestyle and a sustainably designed home," says Daffonchio. "It is always rewarding to see the owners living the lifestyle they had dreamed, and seeing their joy in living the home and its incredible surroundings."

The dining and kitchen space opens up directly to an expanse of grass that leads to the water’s edge.

A narrow, screened timber deck runs in front of the upper-floor living space and guest bedrooms. Privacy is provided by a spotted gum timber screen.

The library/study space opens to the sunken courtyard on one side, and offers views through the living room to the water on the other side. “This transparency within the dwelling’s core provides an interconnectivity between these contrasting edges, allowing the clients to experience an ever-changing quality of lights and atmosphere,” says architect Fraser Mudge.

The concrete stairwell leads from the ground floor up to the front door and a sliding partition that opens to two more bedrooms and another living space with a kitchenette. The library/study and living room spaces are separated by several stairs to create connected yet separate living spaces.

The front door is crafted from solid spotted gum hardwood, which echoes the joinery used in the interior.

Rectangular skylights help bring natural light into the home, offsetting the heaviness of the concrete volume.

A stone staircase leads to the lower level.

S&S House - Besonías Almeida arquitectos

Trout Lake | Olson Kundig

A shell of concrete in the desert