From the Resene News – issue 3/2008
Black box - Casuarina beach house
Aptly named the ‘beach shack’, this 334 square metre black box sits within the Casuarina estate on a beachfront lot. The original brief was to develop a house that was informal, casual, comfortable and welcoming and importantly have a space for the client’s quiver of long boards. Surrounded by an eclectic array of houses it became apparent early in the design stage of the importance of the surrounds, the environment and the torments of wind, salt and sun that the house would be subjected to.
The use of galvanised steel and stained ecoply promotes a rawness to the skin, while on the inside the material palette is refined yet hardwearing in the form of polished concrete. Resene Concrete (frosted silver grey) features on weatherboards extending onto CFC panels with accents of Resene Wasabi (dull lime green) all grounded with Resene Crowshead (wood tar brown) wood stain.
From the initial sighting of the house the viewer can make a casual journey to the double height entry with grass underfoot and natural landscape. The entry consists of a semi indoor/outdoor space constructed of clear weatherboards that is able to be hosed out through the decking boards to discard unwanted sand and salt. Once within this entry, large timber clad sliding doors can be opened and pushed out to open into the house proper. On ground level a simple program of living spaces open up to a courtyard off one side with a main outdoor room to the rear of the property that overlooks the pool and dunes. Upstairs consists of simple bedroom and bathroom facilities that interact with the ground level and entry via a series of voids and openings.
The house evokes an openness and casual sensation that typifies what a beach house should be, rewarded with a well deserved RAIA Regional Residential Award.
Architect: Shawn Godwin, BASE Architecture
Building Contractor: By Design Homes
Painting Contractor: De Boer Brothers
Resene: Australia
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