Houzz Tour: A Dried-Out Chicory Kiln Becomes a Retreat for Two
A couple breathes life back into a slice of Phillip Island history
Landscape architect Charles Anderson and his wife Tiziana Launech scoured Phillip Island for years in search of a traditional chicory kiln they could transform into a unique holiday home. Chicory kilns – once used for drying chicory dock, a root vegetable similar to parsnip that thrives within the island’s rich volcanic soil – are a prevalent architectural feature on Phillip Island. When they finally came across their future home on Ventnor Beach, they asked architect and friend Andrew Simpson to turn the historical building into a modern and social retreat. Anderson and Simpson collaborated on the design to produce A House for Hermes, named after Anderson’s own art exhibition shown at Tarrawarra Museum in 2007.
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The property sits in the stunning coastal setting, about 600 meters from the beach on Phillip Island, and is across from protected wetlands — a lush and secluded backdrop.
“It is a relatively flat block dotted with indigenous shrubs and trees, along with a second smaller home and detached studio,” says Simpson.
The entrance opens straight onto the bright and airy kitchen and dining room. The open-plan living space creates a social atmosphere where Anderson and Launech can entertain guests with ease.
The hoop-pine plywood and stainless steel kitchen is one of the quirkier aspects of the house – mobile stair joinery. It can be reconfigured for a variety of uses within the downstairs area, providing both access to the staircase and extra benchtop space when needed.
“The mobile joinery is one of my favourite features of the house,” says Simpson. “There is such a variety of uses for it.”
The space can be transformed to facilitate a group cooking class, for example, or an intimate meal. By stowing the joinery, a completely open-plan is created on the ground floor. The joinery can also act to separate the kitchen and dining areas – more strongly defining the two rooms.
The hoop-pine plywood and stainless steel kitchen is one of the quirkier aspects of the house – mobile stair joinery. It can be reconfigured for a variety of uses within the downstairs area, providing both access to the staircase and extra benchtop space when needed.
“The mobile joinery is one of my favourite features of the house,” says Simpson. “There is such a variety of uses for it.”
The space can be transformed to facilitate a group cooking class, for example, or an intimate meal. By stowing the joinery, a completely open-plan is created on the ground floor. The joinery can also act to separate the kitchen and dining areas – more strongly defining the two rooms.
Don’t be fooled by the minimalist design of the joinery. Simpson cleverly crafted the units with ultimate functionality in mind.
“Each mobile joinery unit is built on casters to allow them to easily roll along the floor,” he says. The casters include breaks so they can be moved and securely set in place to allow people to walk up and down. “Each unit is based on the same module to allow multiple configurations with flush heights and consistent materials.”
“Each mobile joinery unit is built on casters to allow them to easily roll along the floor,” he says. The casters include breaks so they can be moved and securely set in place to allow people to walk up and down. “Each unit is based on the same module to allow multiple configurations with flush heights and consistent materials.”
Showcasing the industrial past of the house, the high ceilings and large open spaces pay homage to the traditional chicory kiln structure.
Anderson put his own mark on the design by not only naming the project after his exhibition, but also reusing materials from it. The plywood with intricate etchings from the art show are embedded in the ceiling of the spacious dining and living rooms.
The floorboards are recycled oak and the dining table salvaged from an old cottage on site.
Foglia Chair: James Richardson
Anderson put his own mark on the design by not only naming the project after his exhibition, but also reusing materials from it. The plywood with intricate etchings from the art show are embedded in the ceiling of the spacious dining and living rooms.
The floorboards are recycled oak and the dining table salvaged from an old cottage on site.
Foglia Chair: James Richardson
Anderson and Launech used both old and new furniture for the house, including this mid-20th-century sideboard they picked up from a second-hand store.
A humble powder room is slotted into the downstairs living area with a suspended toilet and wall-to-wall mirror giving the illusion of more space.
Upstairs, the study is a secluded haven where Anderson can focus on his projects. The large windows provide a scenic view of the beautiful coastal landscape, and the louvres beneath the window encourage natural ventilation.
The bookcase spanning the back wall was custom-made by Orana Joinery – just what Anderson and Launech needed for their extensive book collection.
Anderson made the industrial hanging lights with large globes from Beacon Lighting and ceiling light cords from Fat Shack Vintage.
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The bookcase spanning the back wall was custom-made by Orana Joinery – just what Anderson and Launech needed for their extensive book collection.
Anderson made the industrial hanging lights with large globes from Beacon Lighting and ceiling light cords from Fat Shack Vintage.
Find a joinery professional or cabinet maker in your area
The bedroom is located on the kiln’s upper level; the light streams in through a strategically positioned skylight. “The skylight at the apex of the kiln in the bedroom affords an uninterrupted view to the sky during the day and the stars at night; it also allows for passive cooling,” Simpson says.
And so, a holiday house was born.
“It was a collaborative design process, and the owners were very closely involved from inception through to completion,” Simpson says. “They love being there.”
“It was a collaborative design process, and the owners were very closely involved from inception through to completion,” Simpson says. “They love being there.”
Location: Ventnor Beach at Phillip Island, Victoria.
Who lives here: Landscape architect Charles Anderson and his wife Tiziana Launech
Size: 125 square metres (1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 powder room)
How much did it cost: $3000 per square metre ($375,000) for the build
Surprise inside: The mobile joinery in the main living area can be moved around according to the homeowners’ needs
When it came to renovating the original structure, the tall gray building you see here front left, Simpson was careful to maintain the building’s historical charm. To do this, he took an understated and restrained approach to the design process and highlighted its traditional features through the use of industrial and recycled materials.
Of course, as a building dating back to the 20th century, the renovation wasn’t a completely smooth process. The renovation team had to rebuild and restore the chicory kiln’s cracking and flaking concrete after construction had already begun. To resolve this issue, Simpson worked closely with the builder and opted to use shotcrete (a concrete conveyed at a high velocity) over steel reinforcement.
“It’s these unknown existing conditions that can potentially cause a budget blowout, which is why collaborating closely with everybody else involved was crucial to the project being completed on budget,” says Simpson.