Listing of the Day
Location: Cairns, Australia
Price: A$4 million to A$4.4 million (US$2.9 to US$3.2 million)
This thoroughly modern property sits deep in a secluded rainforest. And, yet, Planchonella House, as it’s known, has all the comforts of a suburban home. The award-winning property is the brainchild of husband and wife architect and interior design team, Jesse Bennett and Anne-Marie Campagnolo, who have lived there since it was completed in 2014.
The sculptural building is more South American modernism than Australian Bush getaway, and integrates into the landscape.
But Mr. Bennett, the architect, made sure to use only a limited number of walls and columns so inhabitants could enjoy the magical rainforest, even when inside. The L-shaped layout features an open kitchen, dining room and living room. Ms. Campagnolo, who handled the interior design of the property, stuck with a midcentury aesthetic, including built-in wooden seating and shelving and modern fixtures. A curvy magnesium-filtered aqua swimming pool with an ornamental waterfall highlights the ultra-modern feel and offers yet more sweeping views of the mountains and tree canopy.
Modernity meets Mother Nature at this Australian rainforest estate in a former deer sanctuary https://t.co/ozhUtfZkt0 pic.twitter.com/mJYiU6QjG8
— Mansion Global (@MansionGlobal) November 16, 2016
"The key design concept for the house was to create a series of joyful spaces that enrich and inspire everyday life," Ms. Campagnolo said.
She added that the property is ideal for a holiday escape and is excellent for parties and entertaining. "At night, the city lights shine in the distance, so it’s a great party atmosphere. The house would suit a couple or families."
Stats
The more than 3,000-square-foot home has three bedrooms and two bathrooms.
Amenities
In addition to private access to the Heritage-listed Mount Whitfield Rainforest, Planchonella House boasts a two-car covered garage (and room for another two vehicles outside), a living room patio, rainforest courtyard and more than an acre of private land to explore.
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Design Pedigree
Planchonella House has received a number of prestigious awards in architecture, including Australia’s top architectural honors with the Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture in the 2015 competition.
Neighborhood Notes
It’s rare to live among exotic flora and fauna, and it’s even more uncommon to also have the conveniences of urban living a short distance away. Planchonella House is 10 minutes from Cairns Airport and 15 minutes from the city of Cairns.
This beloved vacation destination features fine dining, shopping, access to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, breathtaking beaches, Daintree National Park and Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park.
Agent: Marcus Lloyd-Jones, director and licensee-in-charge at Modern House
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