Freshwater Beach House

The house has been organised as a series of pavilions with negative spaces which take the form of vegetated courtyards, allowing light, air and vegetation to penetrate the deep recesses of the building. The house has been carefully crafted around the existing topography and the close proximity to neighbouring properties. Positioning of apertures have been carefully considered and set-back to help provide a level of privacy between the properties.  The skillion roof form was conceived to address the environmental factors relating to the site; by sloping the roof of the main living space up to the northeast, the summer north-easterly breezes can be captured to ventilate and moderate the internal environment. The counter roof sloping south creates a street presence and in so doing provides optimum orientation for an array of photovoltaic cells. Pop-up wind scoops with high-level vents facilitate cross ventilation and cooling while allowing the morning sun deep into the plan. Photography: Stefanie Zingsheim Photography