Sunshine Beach House

Emerging warm coastal textures are on display in Sunshine Beach House, which will over time integrate with its landscape as it gently ages and silvers in the Queensland sun. A renovation for a couple retiring to the coast, Sunshine Beach House takes the existing mid-20th century fabric and reconstitutes it as an armature for modern seaside living.  

Sunshine Beach House aims to work with the given conditions of the site – the topography and existing house – and reinforce the qualities established by these two factors. Oriented to the northeast atop terrain that drops drastically down to scrubland, Sunshine Beach House harnesses its expansive views of the shoreline and Pacific Ocean beyond. The existing split-level plan is maintained but mediated through judicious cuts to the structure, allowing for seamless adaptation to modern day usage patterns while optimising light and natural ventilation. Removal of the ageing back deck allowed for the addition of a large entertaining verandah with views across the beach framed by native trees and shrubs. The essential idea of "aperture" is expressed through the verandah’s multi-plane skillion roof, which opens up to the sky, imparting verticality and light.   

Addition of an upper story allowed incorporation of a master suite and retreat, while the lower level is retained as a bunk space for visiting family. The ground floor level is reconfigured to improve access to the beach, and a small extension allows for indoor and outdoor amenities that improve function. These small additions add up to drastically increase the quality and sense of space within.  

The existing single-skin block walls are retained for their structural utility, with both the inside and outside receiving updated cladding, acting to improve the thermal and acoustic performance within. The interior receives a layer of hand-troweled render to minimise the number of block lines and introduce a sense of calm, while the exterior is clad almost entirely in Accoya. Accoya - a modified timber product - is renowned for its durability and suitability to harsh external conditions, while remaining completely non-toxic. In time, the material will age, melding into the coastal terrain.  

Through harnessing existing conditions and re-focusing its spectacular beachfront orientation, Sunshine Beach House sublimates the ideas of site and aspect into a beautiful and functional multi-generational home.