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a strong sense of scale, form and material with an emphasis on finely detailed spaces are the core values of the red hill house. the architectural approach is an experiential one rather than theoretical. a highly resolved plan accommodates the client brief whilst choreographing experiences both internally and externally. extraneous detail is avoided with a focus on a graphically simple composition. whilst a large house in floor area, red hill house has been planned to avoid vast, impersonal spaces. the informal spaces are separated from the formal spaces ensuring that these achieve a comfortable scale for private family living. day to day living is designed to take place within the ground level east wing, with the bedrooms located on level one. moving through the house, the use of a limited palette of materials and changing volumes and outlooks, provides different experiences. a dramatic double height volume is entered on arrival. living spaces open to the exterior through expansive glazed panels. hallways are defined by slot windows and shafts of sunlight. limestone, american oak, dark stained oak and black granite create a palette of calm restraint. the minimal recessed lighting tracks allowed for strategic accent lighting which elevated the volumes as they transitioned throughout the days and seasons. this is the quote from the juror when we won the australian institute of architects – the robert foster award for light in architecture: “red hill house is carefully orchestrated as a series of expanding and contracting internal spaces within a limited palette of materials. outlooks transform through the journey of the home and emphasise the integral focus on the surrounding garden. large openings in the more public, spacious zones lead the eye to landscaped view and fill the interior with ample natural light. tall, narrow openings define the confined circulation zones and create a dramatic and rhythmic lighting effect. the use of a restrained colour palette emanates reflective light. avoidance of extraneous detail results in surface planes devoid of visual interruption. the light dissolves mass and matter. the experience is of an open pavilion with a floating spatial quality bathed in natural light. delicate full height drapes add a subtle materiality as they project an ephemeral luminosity through the day. the visit to red hill house surprised and challenged the jury’s anticipated experience of this expansive residence. the expectation of a sense of overwhelming mass and scale dematerialised indoors, giving way to an experiential architecture that dissolves matter and immerses the visitor in light-filled space. red hill house is consequently the standout recipient of the 2019 robert foster award for light in architecture.”