Tunnel Tasmania

Vipp Tunnel: A Coastal Guesthouse on the Edge of Bruny Island

With vast views over the D’Entrecasteaux Channel that links Bruny Island to the Tasmanian mainland, this Brutalist structure balances between land and sea on 400 meters of private waterfront. The distinctively bold architectural design by Danish brand Vipp and Tasmanian studio Room11 cantilevers atop a coastal hill, a concrete tunnel that merges art, architecture and Vipp’s trademark Danish interior design.

The main guesthouse features a bedroom and bathroom, with a sunken living area separated from the sleep space by an atrium courtyard. A separate studio stands a quick walk from the main tunnel, adding extra space for guests in a mezzanine bedroom, with high ceilings for a working studio and built-in desk.

The main house offers tunnel vision views out to the water and has been designed with two, chromatic glass lightwells meant to cast rainbows of color across the concrete surfaces. The lightwells imbue the space with an ever-changing color backdrop inspired by the southern hemisphere’s Aurora Australis, the area’s phenomenon that mirrors the better-known Northern Lights sensation. Reflective floors in polished concrete enhance the natural lighting’s kaleidoscope effect.

Off-grid credibility includes solar power, rainwater collection as water supply, and elevated construction designed to minimize the built footprint and maximize protection of the endemic vegetation. The home has a full solar façade, believed to the area’s first.

A selection of Vipp furnishings seem created expressly for the tunnel’s interior, including the new, all-aluminum V3 kitchen with stainless steel counters, Vipp Swivel chairs with Australian sheepskin upholstering in a nod to local tradition, and the Vipp Sculpture lamp and coffee table in the bespoke sunken lounge.

An atrium yard separates the main living space from the bedroom and bath space and the tunnel is punctuated by an “end of the world” view terrace accessed via a glass door. The grounds feature a series of large-scale contrasting black/white sculptures, “Cosmic Dancers,” by Danish artist Lin Utzon, a peninsular deck, an outdoor shower and 400 meters of private coastline.

Layout

Main house: 160-square-meters, sunken living area, atrium courtyard, bedroom, bathroom, Vipp V3 kitchen with appliances from Fisher & Paykel, Miele and Zip

Guest house: 35-square-meters with four-meter ceilings, mezzanine sleep space, open-plan studio, bathroom, integrated desk/workspace

Outdoors: Courtyard, covered terrace, sculpture garden, shower, peninsular deck, fire pit

Additional features

Vipp furnishings throughout, Taylor & Smith cocktails, bathroom amenities from Le Labo Fragrances, Nespresso coffee machine with pods, heated flooring, TV with streaming services, Dyson hairdryer, Baina bath towels, Tekla robes, beach towels, outdoor bath with Bruny Botanica bath soak, iron and ironing board, books and games, yoga mat, picnic blanket and throw from Waverly Mills, picnic basket, outdoor and indoor speakers, binoculars, Dyson vacuum. Washing machine and dryer on request.

Around

With sweeping views of the coastal landscape of Tasmania’s Bruny Island, this property was created as and “end of the world” getaway—an invitation to slow down and breathe in wild, unrestrained nature. The tunnel design was intentional, meant to create a “light at the end of the tunnel” quality focused on the Aurora Australis or Southern Lights. This is a remote getaway with natural luxuries in abundance. The property’s structures stand among red gum trees in an art-filled sculpture garden with 280-degree sea views, only a 20-minute ferry ride from Hobart on Tasmania’s mainland.

Here on Bruny Island, rugged bushland meets the ocean at the island’s northwestern point. Made up of two parts (North and South Bruny) connected by a thin strip of land known as “the Neck,” a strait favored by birders for its abundance of wildlife. A pair of rare white wallabies are the most famed local residents.

The property overlooks the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. From the doorstep, you can sunbathe, sea kayak, gather around the campfire on the peninsular deck, and retreat to the edge of the world. Surfers enjoy Bruny Island’s many beaches, hikers walk the fluted cape trail, and there’s a notable lighthouse, Cape Bruny Lighthouse, plus the coves and beaches of Adventure Bay with its resident penguins. Gastro tourists come to the island for its abundance of local produce, farm-to-table restaurants, and culinary products, including oysters, wines, craft beers, cheeses, and honey.

Location

Bruny Island, Apollo Bay, Tasmania, Australia. Nearest airport: Hobart, ferry to Bruny Island (20 minutes)

Best time to visit

November to February is the island’s late spring/summer.