Beach House
A new, self-contained timber pavilion added to a 1970s beach house provides the owners with a retreat from the main house. Accentuating the link between old and new, utilising natural materials and exploiting the site’s landfall combine to create maximum effect with minimum site impact and cost.
The pavilion explores the idea of the timber beach shack, where there is a deep connection with its environment experienced from within. Delight in the engagement with light, shadow and wind. The compact pavilion (48m2) is connected to the original house via a fibreglass-clad linking structure, which acts as a new entry to both elements. This new entry illuminates at night, acting as a beacon welcoming those arriving. Timber decking, raw pine studs and expressed fixings celebrate the modest construction methods of the link. The materials selected have minimal insulative properties, exposing the occupant to the thermal and lighting conditions of outside. This physical ‘awakening’ heightens the transition between old and new. The pavilion and house provide versatile space for relaxation and entertainment, as comfortable for a couple as for several families.
