Foundry Residence
Raw Minimalist Home ● Residential Design
Designed by Matt Burleigh ● Feasibility Phase
Foundry House is a rural home concept developed by Cynosure Architecture for a potential owner-builder in Cowaramup’s Parkwater Estate. The design explores sustainable country home architecture with a focus on raw, honest materials and strong, buildable forms. Balancing construction efficiency with thoughtful spatial flow, the proposal creates a grounded, timber-framed residence deeply connected to outdoor living.
Set within Cowaramup’s Parkwater Estate, Foundry House was designed as a contemporary rural home for a young family planning to owner-build. The feasibility concept proposed a two-storey layout using cost-effective, sustainable materials and a distinctly modern Australian form. A face brick ground floor anchored the design, paired with a timber-framed, Axon-clad upper level to deliver both durability and visual warmth. Exposed LVL joists and a rear Colorbond extension shaped generous living spaces that opened directly to the landscape. While unbuilt, the project remains a clear study in rural home design; grounded in material honesty, simplicity, and construction practicality.
Timber accents were proposed to bring warmth and cohesion to the interiors, offering a tactile contrast to exposed brick, painted finishes, and the clean, structured lines of this rural home design in Cowaramup.
Foundry House also served as a testbed for material strategy and rural construction detailing. The concept focused on using exposed structure (like LVL joists) not just for cost efficiency, but as a celebrated part of the home’s character. Cladding selections balanced durability and thermal performance with visual contrast, while the overall massing aimed to sit comfortably within its Cowaramup bushland setting. Though the project remained on paper, it reflects Cynosure Architecture’s commitment to designing buildable, sustainable homes for regional Western Australia.