The phrase ‘shining example’ can be overused, but not in this instance. This 289sqm home is the result of a singular vision, a collaborative approach and a building team overcoming hurdles thrown up during the tumult of Covid lockdowns. Despite the owner and project manager being unable to visit from overseas, the team successfully delivered this complex three-bedroom build. Replacing an old family crib, the new house needed to be a place in which future generations would make memories. The owners also wanted to leave a positive legacy in the lakeside town. Their beautifully crafted, cutting-edge residence has monolithic rammed-earth walls and ‘twisted’ pavilion roofs as the undisputed stars. The sheer mass of the earth walls evoke a primal sense of shelter. The roof, which is supported on steel fins, required a high degree of technical skill. Inside, cedar ceilings and negative detailing with seamless wall joins belie the complexity of the work, which is precise and meticulous. Sustainability also influenced many key decisions, including using passive-house principles, local earth in the rammed walls, warm-roof technology and carbon-positive timber.