Featuring extensive use of water, The Main Courtyard provides shelter and sanctuary.
In Australia when we hear the word "courtyard" we tend to think of a relatively small outdoor living area enclosed by walls on all four sides, as seen in many inner-city terrace houses. There is, however, more to a courtyard than this.
The Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens states that in the nineteenth century the courtyard of substantial rural properties in Australia was most usually formed by three separate buildings surrounding a large open space, with the fourth side left open. The Oxford Companion cites George Henry Cox's 1864 homestead, Burrundulla, in Mudgee as a prime example. It is clear the word "courtyard" can refer to a variety of forms, one common element being that it denotes an open architectural space, intended to provide protection. The Main Courtyard at The Drip is defined by the two wings of The Big House and by The Frog Pond, The Outdoor Kitchen and The Wine Cellar built under the hill.
The Main Courtyard provides a sense of security in this wild landscape and gives shelter from the elements, in particular from the strong southerly winds that frequently sweep up the valley. The Courtyard also provides protection from the unwelcome visitations of kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and ferals.
The decision to make extensive use of water in The Main Courtyard was made early and was based on a number of considerations.
Summer temperatures here at The Drip can be extreme, commonly rising into the mid-thirties. The psychologically cooling effect of water has long been utilized by gardeners in similarly extreme climates. Islamic courtyard gardens such as The Alhambra in Granada raised the use of water in garden design to a sublime level of sophistication, whilst today the "water feature" is ubiquitous and has become a standard component of Australian garden design. The Main Courtyard allows us to embark on an ongoing exploration of the aesthetics and practicalities of water as a design element in the contemporary, sustainable garden. The presence of abundant water in The Main Courtyard encourages birds, bringing not only visual delight but providing benefits in terms of insect control, enabling us to reduce the use of chemicals in nearby orchards and food producing areas.
Three features of the design for The Main Courtyard are based around the development of three differing usages of water - the Fountain at the centre of The Octagon, The Frog Pond which acts as a "moat" defining the north-western edge of the Main Courtyard and The Water Walk linking the Main Courtyard to The West Wing Garden. The potential for incorporating aquaponics is an exciting new direction worthy of exploration in the future.
The Oxford Companion to Australian Gardens states that in the nineteenth century the courtyard of substantial rural properties in Australia was most usually formed by three separate buildings surrounding a large open space, with the fourth side left open. The Oxford Companion cites George Henry Cox's 1864 homestead, Burrundulla, in Mudgee as a prime example. It is clear the word "courtyard" can refer to a variety of forms, one common element being that it denotes an open architectural space, intended to provide protection. The Main Courtyard at The Drip is defined by the two wings of The Big House and by The Frog Pond, The Outdoor Kitchen and The Wine Cellar built under the hill.
The Main Courtyard provides a sense of security in this wild landscape and gives shelter from the elements, in particular from the strong southerly winds that frequently sweep up the valley. The Courtyard also provides protection from the unwelcome visitations of kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and ferals.
The decision to make extensive use of water in The Main Courtyard was made early and was based on a number of considerations.
Summer temperatures here at The Drip can be extreme, commonly rising into the mid-thirties. The psychologically cooling effect of water has long been utilized by gardeners in similarly extreme climates. Islamic courtyard gardens such as The Alhambra in Granada raised the use of water in garden design to a sublime level of sophistication, whilst today the "water feature" is ubiquitous and has become a standard component of Australian garden design. The Main Courtyard allows us to embark on an ongoing exploration of the aesthetics and practicalities of water as a design element in the contemporary, sustainable garden. The presence of abundant water in The Main Courtyard encourages birds, bringing not only visual delight but providing benefits in terms of insect control, enabling us to reduce the use of chemicals in nearby orchards and food producing areas.
Three features of the design for The Main Courtyard are based around the development of three differing usages of water - the Fountain at the centre of The Octagon, The Frog Pond which acts as a "moat" defining the north-western edge of the Main Courtyard and The Water Walk linking the Main Courtyard to The West Wing Garden. The potential for incorporating aquaponics is an exciting new direction worthy of exploration in the future.
The Solar Axis
The principal design concept underlying the layout of The Main Courtyard is the central axis that runs due north from the High Pergola at centre of the house, precisely bisecting The Octagon and passing through the centre of the underground Wine Cellar as shown in this photograph taken in February 2011.
This axis gives the house a strong solar orientation, governing where areas of sun and shade fall throughout the year. The overall design of The Main Courtyard, the Big House and The Hill Garden seeks to achieve symmetry and balance by consistently relating to this main axis. The main position from which the Courtyard and Hill Garden is designed to be viewed is from the High Pergola, an area devoted to cooking, eating and conversation. This Axis is part of the overall Axial Design that underpins the structure of The House Gardens. For more on this Axial Design click here |  |
