First, the house is intended as a place for semi-retirement and is therefore positioned ambiguously between being a dedicated home and holiday house. Second, although located in Port Fairy, the quarter-acre site is suburban in character, bounded by paling fences and detached homes on three sides. A hint of the coast is suggested by the smell of salt air and a line of grand Norfolk pines marking the sea and wetlands in the distance.
The design is a celebration of these provisional or ambiguous conditions. We were fascinated by the Winnebago or RV as an analogous hybrid of car and house, often used by couples as they move into retirement. This vehicle combines the familiarity of home with the romance of the open road. The Great Ocean Road that links Port Fairy to Melbourne is a recognised RV pilgrimage.