OASIS ANU TA
THE BUILDINGS
The buildings were designed and built by the present owner who is a structural engineer and a leading designer of pole frame and other alternative building styles. His work can be reviewed on www.labyrinth.net.au/~jkoch The buildings are constructed of timber and local stone, and blend well with the environment. The main building is approximately 15 squares, and is multi-level, open plan design. Ground floor contains a living/dining/kitchen area, a storeroom/laundry, bathroom, and a small bedroom. The main bedroom is at lower ground floor level, where there is also a children's living room/dormitory style bedroom. This area is accessed by paved steps which wind down through an indoor rockery and garden formed out of the natural landscape. Two large coloured glass windows adjacent to the stairs illuminate them and the surrounding indoor garden with coloured light. Both levels have large sundecks with northerly aspect and excellent views. Two other levels are incorporated in the living area, suspended above the stairs, used as a study and library. Heating is provided by a convection wood heater and a movable gas heater. 12 volt and 240 volt power are supplied from a solar generating system, backed up by a generator. The kitchen contains a wood stove, a gas stove and a gas refrigerator.
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The house structure is based on two 9 metre long treated pine poles, and fourteen others of varying lengths. The two central poles are not intrusive, but provide a functional delineation of the three main areas – kitchen, living room and dining room, and two open yet separate library or study areas. A large array of shelves, partly panelled and partly open, separates these two areas from the kitchen without eliminating visual connection. The structure is similar to a style of barn that was commonly built in the United States in the 19th century, and could be described as a multi-level hexagon with an open spiral arrangement of floors. Although the main structure is eight sided, it is actually built with walls at front and back that are derived from a hexagon rather than an octagon. The combination of the hexagon, which symbolises harmony and evolutionary growth, and the spiral or vortex, which expresses dynamic energy flow, give the house a character and ambience which is both peaceful and creatively inspirational.
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Apart from lp gas and small amounts of generator fuel, the house is self sufficient, low maintenance and cost efficient to run. Timber on the property supplies fuel for the fireplace and wood stove. Hot water is provided in the summer by a solar panel, and in winter by the wood stove. There are no electricity bills to pay, and no water rates. The large north facing windows allow the winter sun to maintain comfortable temperatures indoors during the day for most of the year. On a hot summer evening, cooling breezes waft through the upper part of the house, and both the upper and lower decks effectively constitute additional outside rooms where one can relax and enjoy the peace, solitude and the view of the river. People from the city find the quiet unsettling at first, until their ears adjust to the music of the birds, the frogs and the crickets, rather than traffic noises.
Outbuildings include a 3-1/2 square cabin with a mezzanine style loft. This is currently used for guest accommodation, and contains a stove and sink. There are two carports. Another building was constructed as a craft studio, but is currently used for storage. The property has two dams, a hay shed, a small orchard, and a grove of fifteen productive olive trees. Water may be pumped from the river for domestic purposes, and for watering stock. There is no pump at the present time, but one could be installed and connected to the existing system of pipes and tanks. The property is currently a private nature reserve, but could be used as a home and small farm, and has considerable potential as a retreat or conference centre.
