Vastu on Oak by Orr Made
Set along the shoreline of Oak Beach, some 50 kilometres north of Cairns, Vastu on Oak by Orr Made translates the ancient architectural principles of Vastu Shastra into a contemporary tropical context.
Completed in 2023 on Djabuganjdji Land, the project reflects the clients' decades-long engagement with Transcendental Meditation and their vision to create a home that nurtures energy, balance, and longevity.
While grounded in spiritual philosophy, the home also addresses the uncompromising realities of building in Far North Queensland, where extreme climate, cyclone standards, and environmental compliance impose rigorous demands. The design required millimetric precision; room heights and proportions were executed to 2mm tolerances, with wall thicknesses and soil slopes calibrated to Vastu specifications.
The orientation of the residence follows strict principles: doors and main entrances face east and north, while services are positioned within prescribed quadrants. These subtle but essential gestures anchor the home in alignment with the flow of prana, or life energy. This is not a symbolic interpretation but an authentic embodiment of Vastu, realised through collaboration with consultants from India, New Zealand, and beyond.
Inside, the interiors unfold with a quiet clarity that reflects both the spiritual framework and the tropical environment. Generous glazing opens the living areas to the coastal landscape, while carefully modulated proportions bring calm to the private rooms. The palette draws on natural materials that are as much about performance as atmosphere; timber, stone, and finishes chosen for their durability in a high-humidity, cyclone-prone region.
Furniture and fixtures are positioned with intent, each placement contributing to the project's energetic alignment. The dining area anchors the home's communal life, with a custom table designed to support gathering and reflection. Bedrooms are attuned to orientation and scale, ensuring both comfort and harmony. Even the service areas (laundry, storage, mechanical systems) are located according to Vastu's codified map, underscoring the project's commitment to integrity at every level.
The precision of the build is inseparable from Orr Made's ethos. Founded in 2014 by Matt and Rhiannon Orr, the boutique practice operates on an integrated model where design and construction are treated as one continuum. Matt leads construction, while Rhiannon shapes the interior and architectural vision. Together they prioritise transparency and collaboration, offering clients open-book cost tracking, structured communications, and early engagement that ensures alignment between architect, builder, and client.
This holistic method was critical to Vastu on Oak, which won the 2024 Master Builders President's Award. For Matt and Rhiannon, success came not only from technical execution but also from what they describe as the "invisible layers" of a home; the engineering, environmental response, and material integrity that underpin longevity. As Matt explains, "If you haven't got the fundamentals right, the finishes don't matter."
Those fundamentals extend to culture as much as construction. Respect on site, trust between collaborators, and clarity across all stakeholders are central to Orr Made's approach. This ethos, they believe, carries through into the lived experience of the home, infusing it with balance and integrity that is felt rather than seen.
The practice intentionally limits itself to a handful of projects each year, favouring depth over scale. Their work across tropical and coastal environments has positioned them as one of Far North Queensland's most exacting builders of design-led homes. Vastu on Oak stands among their most technically demanding commissions, yet it embodies the same principles that guide all of their work: precision, authenticity, and a deep commitment to how homes perform long after they are complete.
Vastu on Oak is a dialogue between ancient wisdom and contemporary building practice, between spiritual aspiration and environmental necessity. In bringing Vastu into a tropical, 21st-century home, Orr Made has created not only a place to live, but a lasting expression of balance and resilience.
