A Living Extension of The Site

There is an earthed quality in how the built form is grounded to the slope, each floor plate tightly nudging its way down the slope toward the secluded beach. There are plays of tension throughout, referencing the rough rigidity of the coastal rock, and the calmed beach with its lapping waters. Rectangular in form, the exterior is clad in a combination of glass, timber and Corten steel, allowing for apertures to open to the elements. The simplicity and classic nature of the form become the shelter and interface between the interior and exterior zones, referencing a sense of the classical in its purity of form. Atop these elements is the sculptural ‘butterfly’ skylight, flooding the centre of the house with natural light, casting ever-changing geometric shadows internally and providing a subtle glimpse of the tree canopies above.

From each approach, from inside and out, the house and its placement in the landscape have been considered. The materiality is a response to the need for durability and robustness within its context. A Corten sleeping box emerges from the hill, floating above a glass living box, intersected by a timber multi-purpose box. The combined need for low-level maintenance and a sense of protection from its coastal location were key drivers in establishing the overall palette. Internally, concrete structural finishes floor, timber, plasterboard and plywood all combine in a place of non-trend driven, and a classic overall feel.

A product of the site it sits upon, Bundeena Beach House by Grove Architects responds to a non-conventional downward sloping sectional embankment.