Unique Farm House

This amazing family home is built in Porepunkah, Victoria. The town is located on the Great Alpine Road, at the foot of Mount Buffalo, 320 kilometres north-east of the state capital, Melbourne. Porepunkah is commonly known as a farming town, specifically for vineyards and wineries.

When recent graduate of architecture, Janelle Boynton, decided to design her own family home she couldn’t go past Porepunkah as a location. The architect, along with her stone mason/wine-making husband, (the couple are often colourfully described as the architect that drinks and the wine-maker that builds) could not pass up this wonderful location. The couple’s brief was strict, primarily they wanted a low maintenance facade that allowed more time for drinking in the fruits of their labour, which is wine. The clients also wanted to capture 280 degree views of Mount Buffalo, which overlooks their new vineyards, making the windows an integral focus of the design.

Local builder Steve Graves was selected by the couple as the man for the job. The clients and builder agreed very early in the project that they were to only use local trades. As architect/owner Janelle began resolving the final design, she realised that the performance and aesthetics of the build was most impacted by the sheer volume of glass. Janelle realised a clever and responsive glazing design was required. She discussed the construction with many suppliers, although DLG Aluminium and Glass were a standout in their solution-orientated customer service.

Not only was the product selection a priority but also the construction of windows on such a steep slope required careful planning to ensure the appropriate delivery. The completed project is built over two levels. Entering at the top level, the view is breathtaking through glass, steel and a platform of polished concrete. The space is encased in double glazing with a 3 metre ceiling, with the private family areas of bedrooms, bathrooms, playroom and a wine cellar all snuggled below. Meeting the highest standards at the time, the house achieved a 5 star green rating and is environmentally sensitive with double glazed argon-filled glazing, solar hot water, solar power, water tanks, thermal mass northern heat banks and cross ventilation. Elevate™ Aluminium Systems Series 704 High Performance SlideMASTER™ Sliding Door, Series 410 FoldMASTER™ Bi-Fold Door and Series 626 FrontGLAZE™ Double Glazed Framing were all utilised in the project to maximise views and connect with the outside landscape.

After the project, architect and owner Janelle commended DLG Aluminium and Glazing on their ability to custom make aluminium windows and doors as well as on their impeccable service. Janelle was grateful that DLG were able to provide options for her to work with prior to the build, constantly remained on site and installed quickly during the build, and ensured she was pleased after the build. The house was delivered within an extremely short construction time frame.