Project Overview This two storey, 4 bedroom beach house rests on the hilltop overlooking Sydney's iconic Palm Beach. The house had previously been refurbished but was lacking the 'serene' beach house feel the owner required.
Project Brief The client had visited our recent project, the exclusive Qualia resort on Hamilton Island and wanted us to bring this resort feel into his beach house. He wanted a laid back feel that was intrinsically calming. A particular request was 'to be able to sit on the view'. This required an extensive re-think to the planning of the whole house. The kitchen & living areas were completely replanned to create larger spaces that flowed seamlessly into one another. Balconies were extended and an automated sliding roof was installed over the living area to allow the house to literally 'open up'.
Project Innovation/Need It was important for us to maintain an Australian feel and avoid the Bali cliché’s in producing a resort aesthetic. Although the aim was to have open spaces that were more communal and social this needed to be balanced with quieter spaces. The use of built in banquettes throughout the house created intimate spaces to sit and escape or soak up the view. A particular innovation was the installation of the retractable roof that spanned over the whole living area.
Design Challenge There were a number of challenges on the project. It was very much an evolving brief with the client as he saw the house being transformed. We needed to channel this energy into the right direction. The challenge was also in getting the balance of the materials right. The combination of natural timbers and stones, materials that have real texture and depth to them, but to not over design, and to keep what is a very high end home looking relaxed and not pretentious.
Sustainability As the project was a refurbishment, there was always a carefully considered approach to what we could re-use. The bones of the house were good, so nothing was demolished without justification. Some of the elements from the existing house, such as some large timber beams were re-used into the landscaping. There was also an emphasis on improving the amenity of the house. The building changes meant that ventilation and light penetration were improved greatly. The use of custom made sliding timber and glass louvered screens meant that these elements could be controlled and flexible and therefore prevented a drain on artifical heating/cooling and lighting.
