Four Bayes Beach House was conceived by buck&simple as a study in material expression, articulating a response to its coastal context at Avalon Beach. The project has been designed to accommodate the myriad complexities of a growing family, where materiality governs form and function and responds to the site, climate and inhabitation.
In this approach, the design is an interplay of textures that ascertain a continuous language, from outside-in. Travertine crazy paving lacquers the floor, its irregularity lending a robust underfoot experience. The application of fluted tiles extends the tactility, adding depth that interacts with oscillating light permeation throughout the day. In contrast, American oak introduces warmth, tempering the solidity of stone with the fluidity of timber grain.
A bespoke fireplace asserts itself as the focal point of the living space – it defines the hearth as a point of gathering, fortifying a sense of domesticity with a hint of the monumental. Its strong presence is contrasted with a legion of curved surfaces, utilised to soften transitions between spaces and overall cohesion.
Modest in expression, a fundamental feature of the project is its negotiation between interiority and exposure. Full-height glazed doors dissolve between the built form and its external environment, framing views and enabling an uninterrupted dialogue with the outdoors. The result is an experience that embraces the tenets of modern coastal living, where architecture operates as shelter from the landscape.
