Jackson Clements Burrows Moonlight Cabin is a small, modest coastal retreat set upon a harsh windswept landscape. Designed to open out into the elements and embrace the ever-changing landscape, it’s a mere 60 sqm of living space, but makes great use of the space.

Jackson Clements Burrows Moonlight Cabin

The award-winning* Moonlight cabin, located in Yuulong, Western Victoria, accommodates a small family, challenging the conventions of what one actually needs to live.

The plan is conceived as one volume with kitchen, bathroom and utilities inserted within a central island pod, transforming the corridor into an important habitable space.

Victorian ash timber linings coated with limed wood wash create a tranquil, contemporary interior that is generous, while the constrained material palette creates a sustainable and cost effective home.

The built form is fully screened in Spotted Gum that acts like a ‘gore-tex jacket’ to protect the cabin from the elements, while the timber is free to move naturally in the changing climatic conditions.

Operable shutters enable cross ventilation and adaptability, open or closed, partially shut down or secured when the occupants leave and reopened when they return.

Architects: Jackson Clements Burrows
Date: 2014
Gross Floor Area: 60 sqm
Consultant: P.J. YTTRUP Associates
General Contractor: Spence Construction
Photography: Jeremy Weihrauch, Gollings Studio

*Awards:
• AIA Victorian Architecture Awards – Kevin Borland Award for Small Project Architecture 2015
• AIA National Architecture Awards – Small Project Commendation 2015
• Intergrain Timber Vision Awards – Residential Exterior 2015