Coastal Warmth – Viminalus House by Not All Architecture

As a considered reimagining of an existing home, Viminalus House draws on its existing warmth and orientation to reduce the resulting impact of the addition. Not All Architecture proposes a responsive home that embraces its coastal locale whilst remaining inviting and honest.

Whilst the tendency to demolish and rebuild can have its appeal, the retention of an existing dwelling and its appropriate alterations can significantly reduce a structure’s carbon footprint and avoid unnecessary waste. After a thorough and rigorous process between architect and client, Viminalus House emerges as the considered result of such balancing between old and new. Based on the idea of maintaining the scale and proportion of the original, parts were selectively retained and replaced as needed, opening up the volumes and connecting both outward and upward. Not All Architecture focuses on the experience of the home and continues its previous warmth into the new whilst retaining the original footprint.

Not All Architecture focuses on the experience of the home and continues its previous warmth into the new whilst retaining the original footprint.

Engaging with the surrounding landscape and optimising orientation and aspect, the home becomes more passively cooled and comfortable. Together with Simon Taylor Landscape Design, Viminalus House was built by CJ Henderson Builders and combines a thoroughly investigative examination of the constraints of the site. Originally built in the 1980s, the red brick veneer home is opened up with the addition of upper-level clerestory windows inserted in place, allowing airflow and light to flood the newly formed volumes and escape as needed. The façade was replaced with operable elements that allow a visual connection to the curated garden setting whilst also ensuring natural light fills the interior.

Integral to the brief was the retention of a sense of self and a connection to context. Located near Torquay in Jan Juc, the coastal home needed to embody ideas of shelter from the elements while also feeling open and casual, flowing between inside and out. As a coastal home, a low level of maintenance was also crucial; materials and systems were embedded to allow for a level of passivity and lower reliance on outside energy throughout the year. A warm palette connects back to the home’s original brick origins and encases the interiors, seeing timber mixed with polished concrete flooring and painted plaster elements that create a crisp balance.

Integral to the brief was the retention of a sense of self and a connection to context.

Through careful investigation, Viminalus House combines differing eras and styles, reducing the overall environmental impact in the process. Not All Architecture firmly anchors the home with purpose for its coming chapters.