FIMC House on Flinders Island, Tasmania

FIMC HOUSE: Lackrana, Flinders Island, Tasmania

FIMC house has been a short-listed entrant in the recent AIS (Australian Steel Institute) Awards and is an entrant in the Timber Awards 2006.

The story of this house is quite facinating. Flinders Island is a very remote Island off Tasmania. The island only has a general store and a pub, so building a house was always going to be difficult.

The house itself was built on-land and shipped across to the island. This meant all timber, steel, granite and plaster had to be precut and packed on land and sent via shipping containers to the island. Several shipping containers were filled and sent. There were nearly 1.4million components that were individually fabricated and packed to assemble this house in just eight weeks. The project involved a close working relationship between Paolo Pianezze Architectsand some thirty other suppliers and manufacturers.

Haymes Paint were selected to supply paints because of their cohesive supply chain and pride in their product. All paints were scheduled, quantities calculated and seamlessly dispatched from factory to container on 48 hours notice, in precise tints. Testimony to the company’s dedication was their delivery personally to the container from Ballarat to Campbellfield. Of consideration also was the durability and quality of materials- being an actual farmhouse, coatings had to be durable and washable.

The colours are far from Heritage Colours: the sleek tones absorb the sunset with a poignant softness in the same way as the house hugs the hillside and granitic sand. Phil Matthews on Flinders Island applied painting.

Ultimately, the desolation of the island and its inaccessibility provided for a valuable opportunity to literally think inside, and outside, the “Box”.

(Click on an image to view an enlarged version)

Some key suppliers/ developers in this project were:

Architects: Paolo Pianezze Architects P/L

Paint: Haymes Paint P/L

Engineers: Pat Baygar and Associates P/L