...Our clients desired a robust, informal holiday accommodation for family and friends to enjoy coastal living along Flinders Bay in Augusta. The result is a an all-year around getaway perfectly suited to our clients’ beach and surf lifestyle.

Our clients approached us to create their dream family beach home that provided comfortable, but robust, long and short term informal holiday accommodation that maximised the enjoyment of coastal living and views towards Flinders Bay for family and friends. Located in Augusta, just 40km from Margaret River, the home needed to accommodate a family of four with additional spaces for overnight guests. In response, the form of the home is comprised of a grounded white box form offering strength and protection against the harsh south coastal elements. Above, a light weight upper structure reduces the presence of mass and is sheltered by a cantilevered roof. Both forms are pierced by two storey vertical blade walls that split the home down its central spine. To the west of the spine are more private functions such as home theatre/music room, bedrooms and ensuites. Facing east, spaces such as the lounge, games room and decks take full advantage of the coast with large glass framed views and apertures encouraging the cool coastal breezes into the home. Each living area is flanked by an outdoor deck with deep overhangs providing respite from the sharp summer sun. The ground floor deck also includes an outdoor BBQ area for a casual eating setting. With the house set back generously from the primary street, a large lawn area encourages the spill over of activities from the home to the outdoors. In addition, a north facing internal lap pool and steam room were special requests to address activities enjoyed by the family whilst on holiday together. The indoor spaces provide maximum usage all year round in the often cooler climate.

Approaching the home from the secondary street, you are greeted by a pebble pool with a drawbridge leading you toward the main entry door, in a gesture that reference the clients’ quirky hobby and medieval collections. Bar the northern boundary fence which was required in relation to providing the lap pool, the site is free of fencing. When weather permits, the pool can be opened out towards the garden. The North facing internal pool with double volume space acts as a form of solarium to capture and transfer warmth during winter, deep inside into the internal living spaces. Landscaping incorporating natural granite rock found on the site is used in this instance to create a soft boundary, allowing the home to feel unenclosed towards the coast.

The interior design of the home features low maintenance materials such as sealed concrete, weathered recycled timber and the natural grey granite quarried from the site. These materials juxtapose against the crisp white texture render coat and colour pressed anodised aluminium fascia and cladding. The interior detailing is decidedly refined and minimal to evoke a sense of timelessness, leaving the client with more time to enjoy their home rather than maintaining fussy finishes. Due to its remote location, our architecture team had to create several design interventions to reduce dependency on public infrastructure. PV cells on the roof provide towards the power usage of the home, while a solar pump services the lap pool during the colder winter months. Within the garden, there is an embedded aerated treatment unit to break down waste water suitable for lawn irrigation. A deep overhang from the upper floor roof provides deep overhangs to shelter the main activity spaces from the intense summer sun, thus reducing dependence on mechanical cooling. Incidentally, no air conditioning units are provided for any of the main living spaces or bedrooms.