SMITH'S BEACH

(COMPLETED 2026)
A RECENTLY COMPLETED PROJECT ON SMITH'S BEACH, PHILLIP ISLAND PRESENTED A DISTINCT SET OF SITE AND PLANNING CHALLENGES, EACH REQUIRING A TARGETED DESIGN RESPONSE. OUR STUDIO BROUGHT AN INTIMATE, PRE-EXISTING KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITE'S COASTAL CONDITIONS, OUTLOOKS AND SURROUNDING CONTEXT, INFORMED BY YEARS OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE LOCATION PRIOR TO ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING A PERSONAL CONNECTION WITH THE OWNERS.

THE APPROVALS PROCESS INVOLVED MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS SEEKING PROTECTED COASTAL VIEWS, COMPOUNDED BY AN EASTERN INTERFACE ABUTTING A CONSERVATION RESERVE — A SENSITIVE BOUNDARY CONDITION REQUIRING CAREFUL MASSING AND SETBACK CONSIDERATIONS. DECADES OF ON-SITE OBSERVATION ALSO IDENTIFIED THE PREVAILING COASTAL WIND LOADING UP THE COURT FROM BASS STRAIT AS A PRIMARY DESIGN CONSTRAINT. IN RESPONSE, THE BUILDING FORM WAS ORIENTED TO PRESENT A MORE ENCLOSED EDGE TO THE STREET, ALLOWING MULTIPLE LIVING AREAS TO OPEN INSTEAD TO THE NORTH AND EAST — DELIVERING PROTECTED, USABLE OUTDOOR AND INDOOR LIVING ZONES SHIELDED FROM PREVAILING WEATHER.

TURNING THE BUILT FORM AWAY FROM THE STREET'S EXPECTED OCEAN-FACING ASPECT REQUIRED A CONSIDERED APPROACH TO VIEW CAPTURE. RATHER THAN RELYING ON DIRECT ORIENTATION, VIEWS ARE MANAGED THROUGH DELIBERATE FRAMING — MOST NOTABLY A LARGE KITCHEN SERVERY WINDOW POSITIONED TO OVERLOOK THE CONSERVATION RESERVE WHILE CAPTURING OCEAN VIEWS BEYOND. A ROOFTOP DECK SUPPLEMENTS THIS WITH 360-DEGREE PANORAMIC COASTAL VIEWS.

GIVEN THE SITE'S PROXIMITY TO THE COASTLINE, A MATTER OF METRES, MATERIAL SELECTION WAS REQUIRED TO WITHSTAND SUSTAINED EXPOSURE TO SALT AIR AND WIND. A PALETTE OF BRICKWORK, STEEL AND COMPOSITE TIMBER WAS SPECIFIED FOR LONG-TERM DURABILITY AND LOW MAINTENANCE.

THE CLIENT BRIEF ALSO REQUIRED RETENTION OF A SENSE OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE EXISTING DWELLING, WHICH HAD OCCUPIED THE SITE FOR OVER 30 YEARS, INCLUDING ITS RECOGNISABLE A-FRAME FORM. THIS STRUCTURE WAS RETAINED AND RECONFIGURED INTO A PRIVATE OWNERS' SUITE COMPRISING A READING ROOM, MASTER BEDROOM, ENSUITE AND WALK-IN ROBE — PRESERVING THE BUILDING'S STREET SILHOUETTE WHILE ADAPTING ITS INTERNAL FUNCTION.

THE COMPLETED HOME ALLOWS THE OWNERS TO OCCUPY THE FIRST FLOOR AS A SELF-CONTAINED RETREAT, WITH GROUND FLOOR ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE WHEN EXTENDED FAMILY ARE IN RESIDENCE — A FUNCTIONAL AND SPATIAL RESOLUTION TO A BRIEF GROUNDED IN BOTH PRACTICALITY AND NOSTALGIA.