Page 63 - Demo

61These houses were adapted to the Australianclimate, with careful attention paid to orientation, cross-ventilation and shading to reduce energy consumption %u2013 ideas well ahead of their time.As the standard of housing in Sydney was elevated by Pettit+Sevitt (see page 36) in the 1960s and early 1970s, it was Merchant Builders who carried the torch for exceptional and accessible design in Melbourne during the same era.Founded in 1965 by David Yencken, John Ridge and architect Graeme Gunn, Merchant Builders sought to design homes that embraced the Australian landscape. At a time when cookiecutter homes dominated new suburbs, Merchant Builders stood out by o%u00a0ering innovative, sustainable designs. Their homes featured openplan living spaces, floor-to-ceiling windows and natural materials like timber and brick, blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor life. These houses were adapted to the Australian climate, with careful attention paid to orientation, crossventilation and shading to reduce energy consumption %u2013 ideas well ahead of their time.Joining Graeme Gunn were several notable architects, including Daryl Jackson, Charles Duncan and Leo de Jong, while interiors were designed by Janne Faulkner. Landscape architect Ellis Stones created bush gardens that remain influential today, with the naturalistic planting styles complementing the homes and fostering a connection to the environment.One of Merchant%u2019s early and most iconic developments was Winter Park in Doncaster, introduced as a %u2018cluster housing%u2019 scheme. This%u00a0 innovative concept positioned homes closer%u00a0 together to create expansive shared green%u00a0spaces, fostering a sense of community %u2013 a bold departure from the traditional quarteracre block mentality.While these architect-designed project homes weren%u2019t for everyone, they gained significant popularity, particularly in Melbourne%u2019s outer bush suburbs, where the desire for a%u00a0ordable, well-designed homes that harmonised with the landscape resonated deeply. Merchant Builders remained in operation for 26 years before the rise of McMansions and changing consumer tastes ultimately ended the dream of architect-designed project homes. However, their influence is still visible in today%u2019s sustainable and climate-conscious design approaches, and their projects are used as case studies in Australian architectural schools.Today, Merchant Builders homes are highly sought after for their timeless design. They represent a progressive era in Australian architecture, when design innovation, environmental sensitivity and liveability were paramount. These houses are a reminder of an era when Australian architecture started to draw inspiration from its own backyard. YEAR 1965%u20131991DESIGNERS VariousBUILDER Merchant Builders