Warm Lightness – Cypreś by Shane Denman Architects

Expressed with a different height and shape than that of its neighbours, Cypreś sits as its own sculptural form, warmly wrapped in timber cladding as a contemporary take on coastal architecture. Shane Denman Architects expresses a clean refinement through considered detailing and binding elements between inside and out.

Located in Tugun, Queensland, Cypreś aims to defy the traditional response to coastal surrounds and instead express a lightness in form through materiality and tone, moving away from an anticipated modest scale. Spread over four levels, the residence allows for enhanced liveability by taking advantage of height and an expansive connection to views in the distance. Looking out toward both the Hinterland and nearby Gold Coast regions, by elevating the main living areas, the internal experience of the home is heightened through connections to ever-expanding surrounds.

Spread over four levels, the residence allows for enhanced liveability by taking advantage of height and an expansive connection to views in the distance.

Combining the likeness of both traditional coastal homes made of timber weatherboards and more recent contemporary suburban residences, Shane Denman Architects sought to express the house as its own vertical statement. The elements of Cypreś sit among a curated landscape, where different retreat spaces offer a natural connection from within. Softening the more linear and solid elements, the landscape buffers the site and its neighbours, creating a focused, inward-looking retreat. Sitting on a defined podium form, the main living areas are raised to the upper levels to ensure views are accessible and experienced throughout the day.

Although the space of each level is reduced when compared to adjacent homes, the vertical connections instead create a natural hierarchy and sense of separation between the rooms within. Becoming lighter as each level ascends from its brick base, the outer edges of the form are further warmed, wrapped in cypress timber cladding. Curved at the outer edges, the subtleties in the overall silhouette instil a natural sensibility to the residence that is carried through into the interior. Internally, a similar warmth is felt through the continuation of timber within the crafted joinery elements, with polished concrete flooring enabling an ease of flow between inside and out.

Curved at the outer edges, the subtleties in the overall silhouette instil a natural sensibility to the residence that is carried through into the interior.

Immersed within lush greenery, the landscape of Cypreś is an exploration into living with nature, supported by the materiality and connections to views beyond. By challenging a traditional approach, Shane Denman Architects crafts a distinct home of lasting virtue.