The brief – The homeowners, who regularly have family and friends staying over, wanted a simple yet energy-efficient home.
The starting point was a simple extension to a 1970s home architect Steffen Welsch had shown them, one that connected to their lives and the type of houses they grew up in.
Design outcomes – The shape of the house, triangular in form, defines the traditional approach, allowing for the home’s three elevations to create a looseness on the large coastal site. This arrangement enables each facade to respond to the site and its orientation, engaging with the biodiverse garden designed by landscape architect Jo Henry.
From the outset, Beach Slice, named after the timber wall that appears to slice through the plan, was destined to reach a 7.9 NatHERS rating. As well as using recycled timber, including the timber from the floors of the original 1920s cottage, there are recycled bricks, expressed on the inside and out, with the concrete floors combined with fly ash, reducing the energy in producing concrete.
Important in the design was to create a home that could be naturally ventilated with large operable windows with flyscreens, ceiling fans and large sliding timber and glass doors to blur the division between inside and out. And in the colder months, the pot-belly fireplace warms the living areas. Here, it’s about using materials in an honest manner and enjoying being connected to this unique landscape.
Location Shoreham, Vic
Architecture Steffen Welsch Architects
Photography Tatjana Plitt
Website steffenwelsch.com.au
