Tell us about the site context.
Located in Torquay, Victoria, the site sits within a typical suburban context, with an east–west orientation and limited access to northern light. It was largely a blank canvas, with few established landscape elements to build from, which presented both a challenge and an opportunity.
Rather than relying on borrowed outlook alone, the project establishes its own internal landscape. A central courtyard and pool are positioned to the north, becoming the primary source of light, outlook and orientation for the home. This allows sunlight to be drawn deep into the plan while creating a more private, inwardly focused living environment.
The coastal setting also informed key decisions, including the use of durable materials and a planning approach that supports cross ventilation and filtered light. Together, these moves create a house that is responsive to its immediate conditions and attuned to its climate and setting.
What was the brief?
The project was developed for a creative family with two young daughters, who wanted a home that could support everyday family life and a strong connection to landscape. From the outset, there was a shared ambition to move away from a conventional open-plan arrangement and instead create a series of more intimate, connected spaces with direct access to light and garden.
The clients were particularly interested in how the house would feel day to day, with an emphasis on calm, flexibility and a close relationship between inside and outside. This extended to a desire for durable, expressive materials that would age well and reflect the coastal setting.
There was also a strong focus on collaboration. The clients were deeply involved throughout the process, contributing to both the architectural thinking and the evolving landscape, which became an integral part of the project.
What are the key material choices?
The material approach is deliberately restrained, allowing light, landscape and spatial relationships to take precedence. Externally, timber cladding wraps key volumes and is intended to weather and soften over time, echoing the tones of the surrounding coastal environment. This is paired with lighter, more durable cladding elements that help balance longevity with a calm, cohesive expression.
Internally, a concrete blockwork wall anchors the main living, kitchen and dining spaces. It introduces a sense of weight and texture, and provides a tactile contrast to the softer finishes elsewhere in the home. The palette was selected to feel robust and expressive rather than overly refined, supporting the clients’ preference for materials that reveal age and use.
Structurally, the house is relatively straightforward, with the planning doing much of the work. The arrangement of courtyard spaces and carefully placed openings allows the building to perform environmentally without relying on complex systems.
Related: Living among the canopy
How does the design support family life?
The design responds to family life, flexibility and a strong connection to outdoor space. Rather than relying on a single open-plan arrangement, the house is organised as a series of connected rooms that allow for both togetherness and retreat, supporting different activities and rhythms throughout the day.
A central courtyard and pool act as the functional and social heart of the home, with living spaces opening directly onto this shared outdoor area. This creates a clear relationship between indoor and outdoor living, while allowing parents to maintain visual connection across different parts of the house.
A quiet study is positioned for focused work, while a secondary living space accommodates music and informal gatherings. Practical elements such as a laundry and mudroom connected to an outdoor shower support the coastal lifestyle, particularly with regular swimming and surfing.
What are your favourite moments in the design?
One of the most rewarding aspects of the project is the way the central courtyard is experienced from throughout the house. Rather than being a single focal point, it reveals itself gradually, appearing in framed views along the main spine and from individual rooms, so that light, planting and movement are always present in the background of daily life.
The sequence of smaller spaces also stands out. Moments such as the reading nook overlooking one of the atrium gardens, or the study spaces that open onto planted courtyards, offer a sense of calm and retreat while still feeling connected to the rest of the home.
Since completion, it has been especially rewarding to spend time in the house with the clients and see how naturally it supports their daily routines. The spaces feel active and lived in, with the courtyard and garden constantly drawing people together while still allowing for quieter moments of retreat.
There is also a quiet satisfaction in how the material palette settles into the light. The concrete blockwork wall in the living area takes on different qualities throughout the day, while the timber cladding externally will continue to soften and weather over time, reinforcing the connection to place.
