Burnt-Orange Corrugated Steel Clads This Australian Saltbox House

Inside, untreated native timber and rose-and-gold stained glass further echo tones from the landscape.

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Project Details:

Location: Sutton, Australia

Architect: MYMYMY Architecture / @mymymy.arc

Footprint: 1,614 square feet

Builder: Megaflora Group

Structural Engineer: Gerin Hingee

Landscape Design: One Landscape

Stylist: Tilly Roberts

Photographer: Anne Stroud / @annestroudphotography

From the Architect: “Nestled in Sutton, a small grazing village on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country near the Yass River, Ochre House tells a story of simplicity, restraint, and connection to place. Designed by MYMYMY Architecture and built by Megaflora Group, the house sits lightly on its east-to-west sloping site, surrounded by gum trees and native flora. The approach to the house follows the existing fence line, a nod to preserving the land’s history and patterns. The clients sought to move to this rural property and create a home that felt honest, grounded, and connected to its surroundings. MYMYMY imagined this project as something vernacular to the Australian landscape: a saltbox-shaped form detailed in a way that is undeniably modern.

“Materiality is at the heart of Ochre House. Bold terra-cotta corrugated steel cladding, inspired by the ochres of Indigenous pigments and the hues of native flora, anchors the home in its landscape. Gray ironbark timber is used untreated and raw throughout the interiors, evoking the humble materiality of local shearing sheds and creating a strong connection to the surrounding eucalyptus trees. Rose and gold stained-glass windows cast dappled, shifting light throughout the house.

“The floor plan embraces efficiency and functionality. Shaped like an ‘H,’ it creates sheltered courtyards for outdoor living, while orienting internal spaces to maximize natural light and views of the landscape. On one side are the bedrooms, study, and bathrooms, while the other houses the open-plan living, kitchen, and dining areas. The house’s modest size emphasizes quality over quantity, prioritizing enduring materials and custom detailing. Inside, even bold choices, such as the red and green bathrooms, feel harmonious. These moments of color echo tones from the landscape, establishing a dialogue between interior and exterior. Custom light fittings and bespoke design elements contribute to the home’s quiet elegance and robust functionality—essential for rural living. With Ochre House, MYMYMY Architecture and Megaflora Group have created a home that feels at one with its place—enriched by its heritage and crafted for the present.”