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The first of many RSL prize homes Habitat Studio has been commissioned to Design. Set on the beachfront at Golden Four Drive the site has direct beachfront access with views to the horizon and southeast to Coolangatta. The design was conceived as a contemporary beach house that was permeable to the beachfront and adjacent active pathway. 

Materials were lightweight in nature to reflect original beach cottages with battening screens to break down solid forms and allow privacy, filtered light, and breezes to penetrate. An upper volume floats over the deck below providing shelter and a constrained response to 2x sewer mains that ran through the small 405sq.m site. The operable beachfront façade allows the ground plane to penetrate the living spaces with more private upper contained volumes. A central void breezeway on entry provides a direct axis to the beachfront and views beyond. 

The curved window aligns with the driveway entry down a battle-ax site to act as an interesting form and a way-finding element for the dwelling. Materials reflect the beachfront location internally with Tasmanian Oak fit-out, honed concrete breezeway flooring, and timber floor to habitable public areas. 

Photography by Kristian van der Beek 

Habitat Studio Architects
Queensland

About the
Professional

We Are Habitat Studio Architects

Habitat Studio Architects is a progressive design based boutique architectural practice committed to providing our clients with quality design and professional service.

Habitat Studio Architects is a multi-disciplinary practice established in 2010 out of an urge for creative freedom to maintain a high level of design on projects that connect with & consider the environment in which they are sited. Each of our designs are a reflection of the unique character of the site, to create a ‘sense of place’ that responds to climate and the local context. Environmental sustainability of our architecture is part of the process rather than an option. We incorporate sustainable principles and appropriate material selection in all our designs relevant to the brief.

The collaborative nature of the studio allows great flexibility with a large range of project scales including high end residential and beach houses, multi-residential townhouses and units, mixed use commercial, hospitality, industrial, fit-outs & interiors. Habitat Studio is an Australian Institute of Architects A+ Practice with project locations spreading down the Eastern Coastline from Cairns, Airlie Beach, Gold Coast, Northern NSW, Newcastle, Melbourne & Internationally to Singapore & Papua New Guinea.

You’ll probably find we are more passionate about your project than you are.

Habitat Studio Architects offers services in Architecture, Design & Documentation, Interiors, as well as 3D Visualisation in the form of concept modelling & sketches through to photorealistic marketing images.

We have a close working relationship with all secondary consultants required to realise your project and coordinate the relevant approvals process by authorities. We value the close working relationship between the client, architect and builder and have point of contact with previous recommended builders to tender for you and ensure a smooth process. Our fine level of detail and resolution of our buildings and documentation has a reputation amongst builders, making their job easier to achieve the desired outcome.

We have a varied scope of services reflective of our fees tailored to suit your needs & budget. Whether it be design only, DA approval, documentation, interiors or complete contract administration through construction, Habitat Studio Architects can accommodate your requirements. Through value adding to your end product and the cost savings through the construction phase it should be considered as an investment through the building process you can’t afford to go without.

From conception through to completion we work collaboratively with the client for a greater understanding of how they live their life, to develop their brief and to create a solution that far exceeds their expectations.