Martha

Mt Martha, Mornington Peninsula New Residence. Martha is four bedroom beach-side family retreat perched on a steep hill in a quiet pocket of the Mornington Peninsular. The dwelling is robust and designed to withstand the challenges that exist in coastal environments, however, is offset by the expression of finely considered detail and proportion to evoke a sense of lightness and warmth. Providing protection from the extreme weather conditions of its seaside location, windows are concealed behind operable timber shutters and screens to ensure the spaces are usable year-round. When open, the shutters may also be manipulated to create framed views, intimate outlooks, and playful splays of internal sunlight. The single-storey dwelling extends southwest towards the bay to take advantage of expansive unobstructed views across the Peninsula. In appropriating the sloped site, the building emerges from the landscape to give the appearance it is effortlessly floating above the ground, allowing the house to engage with the site in both form and materiality. The application of natural Australian timber hardwoods for the external cladding references the colours of the surrounding landscape and helps the building to immerse itself as an integral extension of the site. The planning arrangement of the house is divided into three primary zones consisting of the parent’s retreat, the kid’s/guest area, and a primarily open plan living space and kitchen area which is all directed toward the coastline. This promotes a variety of open and intimate spaces that maximise solar access and excellent views to the south. Photography: Manos Mavridis