Softly Coastal – Newsa Pavilion by Zerni Projects

Softly lit and naturally light, Newsa Pavilion reflects the surrounding coastal feel while weaving in contemporary conveniences and a welcomes crispness. Zerni Projects propose the family home as a place of calming escape, embodying the ethos of its location a familiar connection to place.

Embracing its Sunrise Beach location, Newsa Pavilion references the familiar forms and materiality of its context, while elevating the experience of the traditional coastal home through an attuned attention to finish. While the naturally diverse and rich area asks for an immersion, the home acts as a secluded and private reprieve from the open surrounds and is an ideal place of family escape. Generous and yet contained, the five-bedroom home spreads across multiple levels and generates its own integrated natural hierarchy between the open and closed spaces internally. Although removed, the home remains open and connected with increased heights internally that draw generously from the incoming natural sunlight. Zerni Projects balance a familiar formality with and efficient use of its site and access to the natural.

Spread over two levels, the various spaces interconnect to encourage movement and flow, while each being open to the surrounding garden elements.

Built by T2 Building Group, an open and connected focus ensures the home feels reflective of its location. Spread over two levels, the various spaces interconnect to encourage movement and flow, while each being open to the surrounding garden elements. Clad externally in solid Tallowwood, the textured linear pieces provide protection from the elements while allowing a natural patina and ageing to occur over time. The warm wrapping of timber then anchors the form to site and connects to the surrounding and traditional weatherboard coastal homes. Throughout, each opportunity is granted to engage beyond the built edge with openings connecting to outdoor deck and garden spaces.

Utilising gestures of compression and release, the spaces open and close in based on functionality and their connection to one another. Raked ceilings raise the overall feeling of proportion internally and see high level windows bring light deep into the shared family spaces, while the smaller and more secluded areas reduce and feel more removed and deliberately passive. A neutral and binding warmth underlies the palette and allows the natural light to softly engage with the planes and further emphasise a feeling of encasing. Hermes marble is featured heavily throughout, while timber and soft paint balance out the stone and its use. With bedrooms placed on both the ground and upper levels, there is a natural feeling of separation at play, allowing acoustic separation, while optimising the site size.

Utilising gestures of compression and release, the spaces open and close in based on functionality and their connection to one another.

Newsa Pavilion aims to reimagine the traditional coastal home, taking references from the natural and the modern, where Zerni Projects emphasise a welcomed privacy and softness.