The Cove House

By Justin Humphrey Architects

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The Cove House is a rich and tactile exploration into thresholds and edges. Thresholds between public and private within the house and also the edges between the house and its external context.

An off-form curved concrete wall invites you in past a delicate timber-batten screen and through a series of landscaped courtyards through to the water beyond.

The courtyards exist at the threshold between public and private space within the house and allow dappled natural light to flood deep within the interior living spaces. The ground plane of the house is articulated and meanders up and down at times encouraging engagement or reflection.

These areas flow together beneath a single floating roofline that helps organise the concrete and timber form of the house below. Indoor and outdoor spaces are given the same priority within a house that connects its inhabitants strongly at all times to both water and garden.

Location: Yugambeh Country.

Status: Completed 2018.

Project Team: Justin Humphrey.

Photography by Andy Macpherson Studio.

Video by Ravens At Odds.

Awards

  • 2020 Housing Industry Association Awards
    Winner — Queensland House of the Year
  • 2020 Housing Industry Association Awards
    Winner — Australian House of the Year
  • 2019 Australian Institute of Architects Awards
    Winner — Regional Project of the Year
  • 2019 Australian Institute of Architects Awards Regional
    Commendation — Gold Coast Region New House
  • 2019 Australian Institute of Architects Awards
    Shortlisted — Gold Coast Region New House over 200m2
Justin Humphrey Architects
Mermaid Beach, Queensland

Products used in
The Cove House

Narrow V-Joint | Prefinished Timber Lining Board
Narrow V-Joint | Prefinished Timber Lining Board
By Australian Timber Ceilings

Professionals used in
The Cove House

Justin Humphrey Architects
Justin Humphrey Architects
Architects
Australian Timber Ceilings
Australian Timber Ceilings
Manufacturers and Suppliers

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Justin Humphrey Architects

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About the
Professional

We are a transparent architecture practice aimed at crafting sculptural solutions that strengthen the connection between people and the land on which they live.

We like to engage clients in all stages of the design process and be open about our design thinking. This tends to achieve a project direction that all parties are excited about and feel they have ownership of.

Our rigorous testing and design process results in strong solutions that are both highly functional and beautiful. We prefer warm, honest & tactile materials and always strive to create a strong connection with the landscape context of our projects. It is also important for us to design in consideration with local built form and history. This produces rich projects that are very much part of their place.

We’re Registered Architects in QLD & NSW. We welcome all enquiries, no matter where you are.