ABSTRACT
A very simple strategy used by some Australian architects is the idea of sitting under a tree. The Four Horizons House and its lodges have forms drawn from the rural-shed vernacular, but mostly from the idea of shade. People gravitate towards trees in hot climates, and ‘park their caravans under another roof’. Lindsay Johnston began practising as an architect in Ireland and moved to Australia during the 1980s recession, which left little work for architects. It is impossible to talk about Contemporary Vernacular Design in Australia without mentioning Glenn Murcutt, a great friend of Johnston’s. The landscape in Watagans National Park is heavily forested with stunning views across four horizons. Bush fires are a real issue, and it is a non-smoking area. The strength of shaded thermal mass and the double roof in the New South Wales environment provides an air-conditioning-free home in a hot climate.
