A Boldly Articulated Coastal Home – McAnally Residence by Gavin Maddock

Overlooking expansive headland and ocean views, McAnally Residence stretches down along its sloping site, opening up to its enviable locality while creating places of respite internally. Gavin Maddock combines a refined approach with warmth and texture to create a boldly articulated coastal home.

Enviably located in sun-drenched Noosa, McAnally Residence overlooks both an expansive ocean as well as generous views over the nearby natural headland. Boldly built to follow the flow of the sloping site, the generously proportioned home sees a series of volumes come together and open up outward, offering an immersive residential experience, deeply connected to its site. Both embracing its positioning as well as the surrounding views, the formal approach features a series of openings that punctuate the whole, creating portal-type frames connecting the inside with the outside and bridging the built with the natural elements beyond. Gavin Maddock has brought layered richness through the use of materiality and texture, formally offering architectural moments behind the guise of a private and reclusive façade.

Both embracing its positioning as well as the surrounding views, the formal approach features a series of openings that punctuate the whole, creating portal-type frames connecting the inside with the outside and bridging the built with the natural elements beyond.

Built by GVE Construction, with structural engineering by Inertia Engineering, McAnally Residence occupies three plentiful levels and is expressed through its materiality and bold forms. On all planes, platforms of masonry forms are stacked to create platforms and then open up on the vertical to create seamless glazed openings that allow natural light to flood the internal spaces from above. The lower level houses a series of three guest suites, while the uppermost level is occupied by the master suite. The middle level then becomes the living, dining and kitchen space, bringing occupants together through both function and planning. Terraces allow for an ease of flow between inside and out and encourage a natural flow of ventilation and the natural elements through the home. Connecting the three levels is a deliberately dramatic void that begins from the entry, where the staircase is flanked by imposing 5.7m high concrete walls on either side.

Accessed from the middle social level is the cantilevered swimming pool, whose rippling water interplays with the sun and transfers patterned shadows into the internal spaces. The restraint used in the structure sees mainly concrete and glass make up the external palette and internally, the addition of timber to add warmth creates a welcomed balance. Natural stone, tiles and painted grey walls further reinforce the simplicity of the home, where texture and tonality then create variation and the view and the unique setting are continually reinforced as the focus.

On all planes, platforms of masonry forms are stacked to create platforms, and then open up on the vertical to create seamless glazed openings that allow natural light to flood the internal spaces from above.

McAnally Residence brings its highly detailed architecture and celebration of craft to the coastal condition, proposing a home of long-lasting relevance. Gavin Maddock has beautifully framed the views while offering unique and unexpected gestures where the architecture opens up the natural setting, creating curious moments.

The restraint used in the structure sees mainly concrete and glass make up the external palette, and internally the addition of timber to add warmth creates a welcomed balance.