Natural Connection – Pacifico House by Jase Sullivan and Paul Uhlmann Architects

Focusing on the textural and the natural, Pacifico House is a homage to the industrial past and the coastal milieu the home sits within. Jase Sullivan and Paul Uhlmann Architects worked closely with their impassioned clients to create a meaningful connection to context and a lasting, unique home.

Nestled into the growing populous that is Byron Bay, Pacifico House is identifiably different in that it occupies a previous whaling station and has roots to an industrial past. Having owned the site for some time, the clients wanted to wait until they were clear on their vision and ensure it was the right time for them to build. With all elements lining up and the team assembled, a collaborative process was engaged from the beginning – from initial ideas, right until move in. Home to a family of four, the resulting spaces span over one level and include five bedrooms and four bathrooms, all culminating in generous shared living spaces that lead effortlessly into the open outdoors and densely landscaped rooms. Jase Sullivan and Paul Uhlmann Architects bring an attuned attention to detail, crafting a home of intentional meaning and connection.

The idea of luxury is given new meaning through the curation of iconic furniture and custom elements throughout the home, weaved in with natural materials and a tactile approach.

Built by Marloane, together with joinery by Custom Kitchens, Pacifico House slowly unfolds behind its entry gates. The idea of luxury is given new meaning through the curation of iconic furniture and custom elements throughout the home, weaved in with natural materials and a tactile approach. The extensive use of timber and masonry responds to the area’s deeply natural surrounds while also carving a robust and resilient family home. The near access to the beach means that the inevitable mixing of sand internally is welcomed. At the core of the home is an undeniable warmth expressed through textural layering, as well as a keen focus on engaging with the natural.

Underpinning the design is an environmental consciousness shared by the team, where a lessened energy footprint is coupled with the use of antique and reused pieces, while sustainability was questioned throughout the design and build process. Although a new build, the intention was to create a natural and organic series of spaces, but also a structure that could feel like it had been there for years. Roughened plastered walls combining with timber from an old local bridge adds to that story, emphasising an embedded narrative of the area within the home.

At the core of the home is an undeniable warmth expressed through textural layering, as well as a keen focus on engaging with the natural.

Essentially, Pacifico House acts as an extension of its owners’ easy and casual lifestyle and, though private, a shared openness sees Jase Sullivan and Paul Uhlmann Architects create a home of lasting resonance.