About two and a half hours drive inland from Sydney is the spectacular Megalong Valley region of New South Wales, situated on the western side of the Blue Mountains and home to one of the finest Australian architectural feats of the last decade. Winner of the 2014 Australian House of the Year, 2493 Jenolan Caves Road, Hampton, is known as the “Invisible House” thanks to the way it creates seamless transitions between spaces indoor and out.
Designed by Peter Stutchbury’s architecture firm in 2012, the rural estate sits on an expansive 162-acre block that enjoys some of the best views the region has to offer with the residence surrounded by towering gums and a native garden. The home was last sold in 2018 by the Modern House agency (also responsible for the sale of the remarkable Legato House and Fishwick House), afterwhich its current owners have made some significant renovations to the property including the addition of an infinity pool and garage.
All counted, the Invisible House features five bedrooms and three bathrooms, with the newly constructed garage offering capacity for six cars to park. The elongated residence is perched on a hilltop overlooking the valley below, with the front entrace opening up to a long gallery corridor that connects the large open-plan living and dining areas (with a double height ceiling) to the bedrooms and upper level.
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Protected from the weather by the crest of the hilltop, the floor-to-ceiling windows open up onto a timber decked terrace that wraps around the home, which boasts a firepit and outdoor dining space as well as the spectacularly positioned pool. Inside, the overwhelming impression is one of thoughtful restraint, with many of the walls and supporting columns constructed from exposed concrete that contrast the more natural textures of Mudgee stack stone and hoop pine panelling.
With three of the five bedrooms located on the ground level, a modest staircase takes you to the upper level with the final two bedrooms boasting uninterrupted southwestern views. The exterior of the upper level is enjoys a rusted steel facade, which brings the contrast of natural and man-made materials outside the home as well.
“Invisible House can be there or cannot… If the roof, with water, reflects the sky this building will never be found – until it is discovered.”
Peter Stutchbury
The renovated Invisible House returns to the market as a former winner of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Awards, represented by the team at Sydney Sotheby’s International Realty. The agents are currently accepting expressions of interest for 2493 Jenolan Caves Road, Hampton, around the $7 million mark.
