Whale Beach House ::

Project Description::

Perched on the edge of an escarpment looking northeast to the ocean, the house embraces the curve of Whale Beach and the distant headlands.

The house appears from street level as two towers linked by a sheltered entry deck and a modulating ground plane. Ascending the stairs, the scale of the building shifts to reveal two interlocking forms – one private and one public. The living areas pivot around the deck and are unified under a curved roof. This roof falls towards the view of the sea and rises to the hill behind, to create a dramatic relationship with the setting.

In contrast, the two-storey bedroom tower is a solid form expressing the smaller private spaces. It has an opposing rising roof that opens towards the view and allows intimacy in the more private spaces to the rear. The slatted timber base, between the ground and the main entry deck, anchors the house firmly to the site.

The house is entirely clad in durable hardwood, which as weathered to a soft grey. In the living room, the windows slide downwards so that the interior becomes an open veranda pavilion over-looking the sea.