A Curious Homage – Dune House by Simon Pendal and Ohlo Studio

Transformed as part homage and part sensory heightening, Dune House emerges as a revitalised contemporary of its former self. Simon Pendal and Ohlo Studio combine to unleash the home’s modernist potential and connect back through base principles to the light filled and curious home it was originally intended to be.

 Sitting as one of the few remaining reminders of the modernist era, Dune House embraces its past heritage and is reinvented through considered interventions that see a fulfilment of its potential. Located in Perth’s City Beach, the lightly framed home sits where a multitude of similar era homes once stood. In restoring the original 1960s features and injecting a contemporary relevance, the resulting home combines a clean restraint, while maintaining original proportions and scale. With architecture by Simon Pendal, interior design by Ohlo Studio and landscape design by Carrier and Postmus, the entire site is reimagined and brought to life through shared principles and agreed vision. As the home sits comfortably amongst the existing sand dunes, the same-named home is connected to its site and is respectful of context while idyllically delivering on the needs of the contemporary family home.

While the palette encourages an interplay with light, crisp insertions and considered integrated joinery connect the home back to its crafted and modernist roots.

Built by Rossbrook Construction, Dune House is at its heart a coastal home. A sand-toned strip wraps up the front landscaping, into and through the house and stretches to the rear garden space, binding the home and its elements to site. Through the subtle insertion of such a pathway, it acts almost as a connecting central spine and gestures at a flow of movement. In emphasising an openness and a connection to the natural and surrounding elements, a light toned palette characterises the home, sitting comfortably within the bright white exterior. While the palette encourages an interplay with light, crisp insertions and considered integrated joinery connect the home back to its crafted and modernist roots.

While there is a concerted focus on the outward views and a connection to both the landscape and the nearby coast, colour and texture are used as animation tools, deliberately inserted in subtle doses as to not overwhelm. Originally four bedrooms, the home was reconfigured to then only house three spacious bedrooms with two supporting bathrooms to better service the needs of its owners. Underpinning each decision and the direction of spatial allocation was the delivery of quality over quantity and a shared understanding that more space did not necessarily translate to better space. Layers of the owner’s own memories are then woven in amongst the existing and the new, allowing their unique personalities to be showcased and unexpected moments to unfurl within the home.

While there is a concerted focus on the outward views and a connection to both the landscape and the nearby coast, colour and texture are used as animation tools, deliberately inserted in subtle doses as to not overwhelm.

Restrained in approach yet highly detailed in its resolve, Simon Pendal and Ohlo Studio’s reinvigoration of Dune House ensures its history continues, ensureing it remains relevant and deeply connected to its location.