Technē Architecture and Interior Design’s most recent residential project, Eastwell House– located in Flinders on the Mornington Peninsula – sympathetically extends one of the oldest homes in the seaside town through strikingly sculptural contemporary design.
The project thoughtfully responds to the client’s brief to create a relaxed beach house for a growing family, one that could accommodate a mix of activities yet preserve the existing heritage dwelling. Technē project director Justin Northrop explains: “The existing building vernacular has been considered both in the form and the materiality of the extension. We envisioned a home that carefully responded to the junction of old and new.”
Inspired by the prevailing angular forms of the existing house, a new pavilionlike double-storey extension is clearly delineated from the original cottage while also taking inspiration from it. The extension features full-height glazing at ground level, with a dining room that opens directly to a deck to optimise outdoor living in summer. The use of weatherboard in the new structure creates visual consistency and this is wrapped with standing-seam metal cladding that reflects the project’s coastal locale. The colour palette mixes warm whites and mid-greys, another nautical reference that also provides aesthetic continuity to balance the modern and heritage aspects. The site’s irregular ‘cantilevered’ geometry consists of 2 overlapping but distinct portions of land running east/west which required an architectural response that would practically address its challenges while staying true to the home’s purpose as a family beach house. “Given the unusual shape of the site there were limited options for situating the extension, so we developed the concept of several linked pavilions, ”Northrop says.
One of Eastwell Houses most enticing details is the sculptural ‘saddleback’ roof rising from the single-storey pavilion at the rear of the double-storey extensions. “Inspired by the existing house, we looked at traditional gable shapes. As well as this, the client was keen to work with us to push the design further to create something more dynamic and sculptural,” says Northrop. From this Technē developed a variation of the saddleback roof, which extends the gable form of the original house, provides for high ceilings (a top priority for the client), and also breaks down the visual mass of the extension while staying within the prescribed residential code setbacks. The introduction of glazed links between Eastwell Houses three main architectural forms provides a pause between spaces as well as a change in scale and material selection. “The physical separation adds privacy and allows an abundance of natural light into the internal areas,” says Northrop. Technē senior interior designer Jonny Mitchell says: “Internally, the client brief from the beginning was for a very light, white space.”
The interiors pick up on the neutral colour scheme of the exterior, while a refined material palette comprising light timber veneer, white stone, and concrete interspersed throughout robust joinery, fulfills the client brief for lightfilled spaces. In the existing house, restored Baltic floorboards reflect the home’s heritage. “The interiors were largely inspired by the architectural forms, and angles can be found throughout the joinery, with kitchen overhead cupboards, fireplaces, door handles and other details uniting the house through consistent design elements,” Mitchell says. The overarching result is an expansive family holiday home that is characterised by a bold but thoughtful architectural expression and a nuanced response to its environment.
“Eastwell House represents a contemporary take on the traditional beach house. We are very proud of this project,” Northrop says.
