Client: The Sociable Weaver

Location: Cape Paterson eco village on Bunurong country

Dwelling size: 112 m2

The inspiration for ‘The Bungalow’ came from the challenge of ‘creating a little space that feels big’, architect and owner Reece Stubbs explains. 

The Sociable Weaver architect and his partner Steph both grew up around the Bass Coast of South Gippsland, and Reece explains ‘the beaches and the surrounding countryside hold a really strong sense of belonging and refuge for us.’ With this is mind, the couple designed The Bungalow as a space of retreat, connection and consideration.

Reese explains ‘when creating The Bungalow, it was really important for us that the house was a direct reflection of our desire to strip back our lives.’ The minimal, bright space has a relatively small footprint for a three-bedroom home, but the 112m2 house has been designed to feel generous and expansive. Reese highlights, ‘it’s about redefining this idea that to feel spacious, we need to have a lot of actual physical space. For us that’s not true.’

This philosophy is inspired by a Scandinavian approach to living – not aesthetically, but in terms of streamlined function and practicality. Additionally, Reese acknowledges Japanese design as a key reference point, particularly the idea of creating a space that can ‘inspire your behaviour and way of life.’

The Bungalow’s modest size was a deliberate environmental consideration. Reese and Steph want to show ‘we don’t all need to take up these big blocks, and put big houses on them, or build boundary to boundary.’ There is a richness in living small!

The residence is located within the The Cape eco village in Cape Paterson, which is part of a sustainability movement aimed at cultivating community, encouraging environmental protection, and developing a benchmark for sustainable design. Building here necessitated strict adherence with sustainability guidelines, which Reese sees as enhancing the overall quality of The Bungalow. If this minimal eco dream is creating a burning desire for a bungalow of your own, there are currently lots on sale at The Cape! But you don’t need to live in an eco village to think about the size of your home or the belongings you fill it with. Reese explains that through sharing The Bungalow ‘we really feel like we’re helping people to realize that, and it’s so exciting for the future of our planet and the built environment.’

- The Design Files