Description provided by designers.
Occupy Studio has designed a renovation to a Byron Bay beach shack, which was in a state of disrepair after a lifetime of various past extensions. The result was a confused and disconnected layout. The house also suffered from low ceilings, a lack of natural light and cross ventilation, and minimal connection to the outdoors – all of which are key to the Byron Bay lifestyle.
Occupy Studio director Scott Wilson says though the brief initially called for a renovation to the kitchen alone, it soon became abundantly clear that the owners and house would benefit from a re-think of the entire plan.
“The house was a bit of a rabbit-warren, but held deep sentimental value to the extended family with lots of memories of childhood beach holidays,” he says.
“Once the scope grew to fixing an old laundry, it became apparent that we could create a much more considered layout for the whole house instead of patching individual rooms.”
Efficient planning results in a generous public area that links the house to its immediate garden to the east, while opening up views through the house to the surrounding mountain range to the west. Importantly, the building’s external shell was retained, preserving the character of Byron’s streets and heritage.
The existing roof trusses and low ceilings were reconfigured, with large skylight wells created within the existing structure to draw light and volume back into various spaces throughout the home. This undulating ceiling provides volumetric contrast when moving through the house, resulting in cosy bedrooms and expansive living areas.
Meanwhile, an uninspiring undercroft was converted into a light-filled, self-contained guest suite that celebrates the existing hardwood floor structure and brick bones. Materials and joinery elements are designed to complement and highlight the existing nature of the undercroft, and the craft involved in the original timber house.
Wilson says he, contractor Kick Building, and the homeowners prioritised retaining as much of the existing building as possible. “It was important to us to value the house, and more broadly, the existing buildings that make up Australia’s built fabric. Some simple moves show how we can preserve ageing homes, whilst giving them a new lease on life,” says Wilson.
The result is a relaxed beach house that provides a strong connection to the outdoors, ample natural light and space for the owners to entertain family and friends.
