When you hear the word renovation, you probably think knocking down a couple of walls and updating the kitchen. But for this holiday home, a renovation meant gutting the whole property, keeping only the ground floor slab and the two front walls! “The brief from the client was to build a new house on the existing footprint of the old house,” explains acclaimed designer David Hicks. “The main concern was to maximise the glazing towards the views and reorganise the layout and accommodation.”
Situated on the Mornington Peninsula’s Portsea, bringing the outside in was key for this holiday home. A modern beachside design, the house has a relaxed feel, with beautiful sandy tones mimicking the beach below. “We used a contrast between rough stone and honed stone along with distressed timber veneer and satin lacquer,” says David. “It’s all about texture and tactility.”
Pushing the limits of structure, the upper floor is a standout, with the internal spaces separated from the outside only by frameless glass. “The design is seamless and effortless, yet so complex to detail and construct. I love the simplicity that we managed to achieve. This kind of architecture really interests me and I feel it fits into the landscape beautifully.”
The top floor also contains the pool, a show stopping cantilevered glass oasis that is sure to be the envy of neighbours. “Incorporating a pool above a downstairs bedroom was no mean feat! In fact, the engineering of the entire project was a challenge, as we wanted the upper floor to have limited bulk obstructing the views.”
The end result certainly achieves this, modern and streamlined, it is both relaxed and sophisticated, bringing new significance to the classic beach house.
