Cumulus shares the first look at Kokoda Drive, a three-bedroom home that balances creative brickwork, considered interiors, and playful angular facades, creating a lasting space for its owners and point of reference for the evolving character of a new neighbourhood.

Situated on a corner block in Robe, on South Australia’s Limestone Coast, Cumulus drew on the ubiquitous materials and styles found in the town’s established residences — brick, timber, pitched roofs — to design an enduring home that is unique without being disruptive of its surroundings.

“At its core Kokoda Drive is a modest home both in size and budget grounded by the creative use of everyday elements found in regional Australia,” explains Cumulus Associate Architect and project lead Jet O’Rourke.

“Although the corner site provided an opportunity to showcase the articulated exteriors of the home, it also gave us a space to develop a considered design that could respectfully influence the future rhythm of this community.”

The exterior of the house leans on the changing perspectives of the corner block for its visual difference, highlighted in elements such as the southern façade’s crafted brickwork and sharp corners that give the residence its distinctive depth.

A datum — a simple line reflected on both the exterior and interior of the home — creates a defined contrast between the pale grey pitched metal roof and the warm textured brick that wraps the residence.

Inside, Cumulus arranged the Blackbutt timber wall linings, the earthy tones of the exposed brickwork, and the oyster grey joinery — referencing the exterior of the home — to create a rhythmically contrasted space.

For Cumulus and the owners, the design called for a carefully considered layout, one able to accommodate social gatherings as well as visiting family while preserving the secluded and more private areas.

“Because of the size and budget, every corner of the house has been used quite deliberately,” Jet adds.

“We organised the guest bathroom and pantry at the heart of the home as a buffer, dividing the southern guest bedrooms from the north-facing living spaces. The ensuite and walk-in wardrobe creates another separation between the social areas and the master bedroom.”

Developed through Cumulus’ close collaboration with the client, Kokoda Drive builds on the studio’s growing South Australian portfolio which includes the Wellington Marina and Ponderosa tourism projects.