Anchored Retreat – Ocean House by Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors

Formed by a series of distinctly unique experiences, Ocean House is an immersive and protective enclave along the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors draws on the unyielding coastal conditions to propose a protective and robust holiday home for family and friends.

Navigating its steeply sloping site, Ocean House sits anchored with a lower level carved from concrete masonry and the upper levels, sitting lightly, made from timber and glass as it perches out over the Great Ocean Road and the horizon beyond. In its idyllic setting, the home becomes a retreat and protective escape from the urban condition while allowing a truly immersive experience in place. Designed and built with the intention of being a shared space, the overall residence has the ability to be expanded and contracted, isolating areas to allow for smaller, larger and multiple groups at the same time. Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors combines a refined resolve with a casual familiarity; nods to traditional coastal and nautical vernacular have been creatively intertwined whilst remaining a contemporary interpretation.

Throughout, the formal response has its own uniqueness, creating distinctly differing experiences and engagement with the surrounds in the process and through the geometries proposed.

Throughout, the formal response has its own uniqueness, creating distinctly differing experiences and engagement with the surrounds in the process and through the geometries proposed. With rounded windows and angled balustrades, gestures are intentionally reminiscent of a ship, with visual connections that stretch out to the ocean as if peeking through port holes. The sense of balance between the weighted and lighter compositional elements ensures there is a harmony created, similar to how the crisp and refined form sits amongst the more rugged landscape or how a ship floats upon the sea. The expansive use of glazing allows uninterrupted visual connections, reminding occupants of their enviable siting.

A rooftop terrace sits above the multiple stories and is slightly submerged amongst the encasing walls, offering protection from the elements. With coastal winds and salted breezes, a fitting materiality provides a robust front, ensuring the home will endure over time. A natural and raw palette of predominantly concrete and timber allows the coastal conditions to leave its own patina over time, while a lower level of maintenance is required internally. Shades of grey are also brought inside, taking cues from the surrounding eucalyptus trees and their tonality. The monochromatic nature of the home ensures that the focus remains on the surrounding views and the experience of being so enviably immersed within the landscape.

The expansive use of glazing allows uninterrupted visual connections, reminding occupants of their enviable siting.

Ocean House sees the creation of a unique ocean refuge, as Rob Mills Architecture & Interiors proposes the most elevated of calm retreats.