1977 & 1929 Paynes Crossing Road, Paynes Crossing NSW 2325

Vista House, designed by Peter Stutchbury, hovers on a plateau overlooking a grassy valley and wetlands on a 120-acre ex-dairy property near Wollombi in the Lower Hunter Valley. Ringed by rolling hills and an escarpment, the off-grid house looks decidedly rural – long and low under a floating roof; constructed from corrugated iron and rammed earth; bunkering down but clearly in a position to take in its dramatic and ever-changing setting. It’s a house designed for year-round comfort, yet one that maximises an awareness of prevailing conditions – encouraging full engagement with the senses and the surrounding environment.