Building a home high on a sand dune overlooking the Southern Ocean might seem like a daunting prospect for some people, but Ian and Jane Bentley could see the stunning possibilities of this block out on the tip of Victoria’s iconic Mornington Peninsula.
With family already living nearby, the Bentleys envisioned a coastal haven, a place where their extended family could gather, stay, and share lasting memories. Their brief to the architect was clear: create a sanctuary that embraces the sweeping views, withstands the environmental conditions, and feels intimately connected to its natural surroundings.
Building Strength and Lightness into Every Detail
Local architect Michael Baker of Zenibaker Architects recalls his first meeting with the couple with a smile “They invited me to walk around and get a feel for where the house might sit on the site” he says. He arrived there to find Ian and Jane unloading a large telescopic ladder from their car. He quickly discovered the ladder was for him. Two hours of climbing up it and taking photos finally delivered the perfect line of sight the view from the top of the ladder is now being enjoyed from the comfort of the dining room in the finished home.
Working hand in hand, Baker and the Bentleys worked through several iterations of the concept, with Michael finding a unique way of making the view as uninterrupted as possible, while ensuring resilience against the harsh climatic conditions. The solution lay in COLORBOND® steel chosen for its proven durability in these conditions. The home’s roof features a distinctive V-shaped Aramax® profile, a design celebrated for its enormous strength. That strength eliminated the need for any supporting structures at each corner of the building.It gives the illusion that the roof simply floats above the structure” explains Michael. You’ve got that dramatic yet beautiful sawtooth appearance, and that gives a textural quality, but also seems to create a feeling of movement. I wanted the feeling of it flying or almost like a seagull soaring above the dune.
A Vision Shaped by Family and Place
To complement the surrounding landscape, Baker selected the colour Shale Grey™ – a tone that allows the home to sit lightly against the sky. “I think soft greys are quite a natural look in the landscape, you see them in the trunks of trees and the coastal vegetation” he says. Jane agrees: “That roof colour blends so beautifully into the skyline”.
For homeowners considering coastal builds, Jane’s experience highlights an important point: talk to your architect and builder early about material selection and long term maintenance.
A Home that Soars with the Landscape
Baker invited several tenders based on the approved design, ultimately appointing Leigh Neal and Saltvu Builders for their deep experience in coastal construction. Despite the disruptions of COVID 19 and challenges of sourcing materials from around Australia, the construction took just 11 months to complete. It was the first project Michael and Leigh had done together, and they’ve gone on to do quite a few since. For Michael, his favourite moment comes before even stepping inside. “From the driveway, it’s the grandness of it all. And the roof is so impressive with its 3.6 metre overhang. It’s striking yet harmonises completely with the environment.”
Dune House is, in every sense, a triumph – a place to warmly welcome the Bentleys’ extended family across three generations, and a property that embraces the surrounding landscape with understanding and a visual lightness that belies its underlying strength.
A beautiful home thoughtfully designed by Zenibaker Architects, built by Leigh Neal from Saltvu Builders, envisioned by Jane and Ian Bentley with COLORBOND® steel proudly Made by Australia.
