Cape Schanck House by Studio Goss

Sitting on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, this family home is a study of minimalist ideals enhanced by carefully composed outlooks and the nuances of light.

Creating a sense of harmony between built form and landscape is a familiar architectural trope and, whether it is emphasised or not, it plays a heavy hand in the enduring resonance of a place. Studio Goss has examined this idea at Cape Schanck House on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, leaning into the site’s innate beauty to craft a minimalist home that is at once arresting and subdued.

“The clients wanted a home that encompassed spaces to congregate and entertain, as well as more intimate areas.”

Studio Goss was engaged by the clients to design a robust four-bedroom family home that could act as a place of refuge – both from the pace of the city and from Cape Schanck’s ruthless weather – and capture the spectacular views of nearby Bushrangers Bay. Having worked together on a range of commercial and residential projects in Melbourne, New York and Milan, Studio Goss director David Goss and the clients possessed an easy rapport, which paved the way for a rich collaboration. As a result, the home is a compelling architectural offering that deftly reflects the clients’ needs and tastes.

Sitting at the highest point of the site in a clearing of mature pine trees, the home is defined by two pavilions connected via a short corridor. The front pavilion is intended for kids and guests, while the rear pavilion houses the living spaces as well as the primary suite. “The clients wanted a home that encompassed spaces to congregate and entertain, as well as more intimate areas,” says David. For instance, “the guest wing at the front can be closed off completely so the house doesn’t feel too big or empty when it’s not in use.” This stacked layout creates protected pockets of outdoor space, which were crucial given the home’s considerable exposure to the elements.

“It feels casual for such a highly choreographed sequence of spaces, and I think that’s because nothing’s too polished – there’s texture and imperfection.”

Though minimal in its expression, the home’s presence on the hill is resolute. Stretching from east to west, with only two openings in the front facade, the rectilinear form is appealingly low slung and decidedly blunt. This outcome sits well within Studio Goss’s enduring rationale for distilled architecture, and David cites several key influences as central to the design response, such as Vincent Van Duysen’s VM Residence for its textured brick walls and the deep facade elements of Álvaro Siza’s Portuguese Pavilion, which “convey a sense of weight and permanence”. There are also visible nods to Studio KO’s Villa K in the geometry and density of the form, as well as in the long and narrow pool that protrudes from the home’s rear into the landscape.

The interiors are an effortless extension of the exterior. Brick, textured render, terrazzo and concrete meet blackbutt timber and soft linens. “Every touchpoint is metal, timber, stone or leather – even the light switches,” adds David. Further, Studio Goss has designed loose furniture and custom hardware, as well as a curated collection of lighting in collaboration with Articolo Studios. Though highly detailed, it is not stuffy or overwrought, rather effortless and rationalised. “It feels casual for such a highly choreographed sequence of spaces, and I think that’s because nothing’s too polished – there’s texture and imperfection.”

“It feels casual for such a highly choreographed sequence of spaces, and I think that’s because nothing’s too polished – there’s texture and imperfection.”

This pursuit for an almost intangible elegance is embedded in the design of Cape Schanck House. Though the geometric form is visually easy to unpack, its simplicity is, in fact, the result of a rigorous process of finetuning, which David refers to as “editing out the noise”. “We removed as many superfluous details as we could, so instead you read these quiet vessels and notice the light moving through.” The deep timber reveals and articulated facade elements – which fully integrate windows, doors, joinery and building services – are a beautiful expression of this philosophy. Initially explored by Studio Goss in a retail environment and expanded on for this project, these deep reveals not only look and feel luxurious but also create an enhanced sense of space.

As intended, this clarity results in an architecture that almost assumes a supporting role in this project’s story. David’s description of the residence as “a vessel to capture views and accept and manipulate daylight” speaks directly to this idea, and this is illustrated throughout – from the large windows at the home’s rear framing expansive vistas of the rolling hills to the sharp silhouettes gleaned from the sliver-like skylights in the bathrooms and the shadows of the neighbouring pine trees dancing across the rendered exterior. This dynamic approach to light and aspect enriches the everyday experience of Cape Schanck House and, importantly, strengthens its relationship to the landscape.

All these elements culminate in a residence that holds its own while paying well-deserved deference to its context.

All these elements, including the deliberate solidity of the built form, orchestrated outlooks and evocative shadow play, culminate in a residence that holds its own while paying well- deserved deference to its context. It is a pleasing balance that has a reassuring effect upon encountering and experiencing this house on the hill.

Architecture and interior design by Studio Goss. Build by Everclear. Landscape design by Paul Bangay. Engineering by Measure Engineering. Joinery by Kurv Living. Furniture by Studio Goss and Charles Sandford. Lighting by Studio Goss and Articolo Studios. Artwork by Bruce Armstrong.