Summer Beach House

by Adrian Bonomi Architect

A refined and peaceful home for a retired couple.

Designers Adrian Bonomi Architects were commissioned to provide a retired couple with a compact and peaceful summer residence.

Owners have a strong connection with gardens, with a particular interest in succulents, so design of the new house was incorporate an easy and manageable garden, along with a studio for a part time artist and a workshop for a music equipment technician.

All materials used in the design of the Summer Beach House are natural, which includes dark stained timbers, recycled bricks and timber flooring throughout each space. Natural materials such as timber cladding, plywood, cedar doors and internally recycled painted brick and stone were also used, to compliment the seaside setting and lightly wooded environment.

The Summer Beach House is a well refined design, which reflects a peaceful lifestyle. With a passive solar system included in the design, the central living zone of the house is connected to a large north-facing varandah.

This design provides the best qualities of the courtyard house and traditional Australian varandah. It is a very private house, accessible to friends and family only, through the use of a side gate, which functions as the main front door. The large verandah maximises outdoor living in the cooler months, while ample shade is provided during the hotter months – to keep each zone comfortable in the heat.

Reverse brick veneer construction and a carefully crafted passive solar envelope provides a very comfortable and stable internal living environment. The heating and cooling systems are rarely used. A house for the beautiful contrasts of Victorian climate.

Photography by Ben Hosking.

Keep up to date with The Local Project’s latest interviews, project overviews, collections releases and more – view our TLP Articles & News.

Explore more design, interior & architecture archives in our TLP Archives Gallery.