Yandoit House is a prefabricated dwelling in regional Victoria, designed to sit quietly within a regenerating landscape. Located on a former farm property, the project reflects the client’s long-term commitment to ecological restoration, transforming a site once degraded by agriculture into one defined by native replanting, habitat renewal and care for Country.

The house is positioned at the centre of a circular earth berm, a raised mound created to mitigate the acoustic impact of a nearby highway. During an early site visit, it became clear that the ambient drone of traffic could be softened by changes in topography. This was first noticed while sitting at the edge of one of the site’s many dams, where the slope deflected sound overhead. That moment sparked the idea for the berm — an acoustic and spatial intervention that not only buffers noise but creates a clear threshold between the wild, expanding bush and a more curated domestic garden.

The home is built almost entirely from prefabricated components from our sister company Candour, including a glazed structural timber façade, insulated wall and roof panels, and internal partitions. These were precision-finished offsite and delivered in sequence for rapid on-site assembly. Apart from the concrete slab, the complete structure was erected in under a week. This demonstrates the practical advantages of prefabrication, particularly in remote or regional settings.

A square plan was chosen for its efficiency. It offers the greatest internal area for the smallest perimeter, reducing the complexity and cost of the façade. A fully glazed elevation provides 360-degree views, bringing the evolving landscape into every space, from the living areas to the shower and bath. This full visual immersion transforms everyday rituals into something quietly extraordinary.

Despite its significant glazing, this home performs incredibly well thermally, requiring minimal or no supplementary heating and cooling even in the height of regional summer and winter.

Exposed timber beams lend rhythm and warmth to the ceiling, while a concrete slab provides thermal mass, passively warming the home through winter sun. A highly efficient electric hot water system powers in-slab hydronic heating during colder months and can also be reversed to cool the slab in summer. Ceiling fans and operable windows enable crossflow ventilation and reduce reliance on mechanical systems.

At the heart of the plan is a Cheminees Philippe double-sided fireplace, shared between the living room and master bedroom. It reflects Archier’s interest in thoughtful spatial relationships — connecting private and public zones in a way that is both functional and atmospheric.

Externally, the use of galvanised steel roofing, gutters and downpipes references the agricultural vernacular of the region. The result is a home that sits in dialogue with its surroundings, both shaped by and contributing to the regeneration of its place.

Yandoit House reflects a broader architectural ambition: to do more with less, to prioritise performance and experience, and to celebrate the quiet intelligence of prefabricated systems in delivering lasting, site-sensitive homes.

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