All-weather beach house beats the elements

Project: Bilgola Beach House

Award: Residential Design - One-off homes, Gold, 2022

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Design practice: Olson Kundig 

Client representative: Auric Projects

Nestled in the sand dunes on the northern coast of Sydney, Australia, this flexible family home is designed to withstand the dramatic climate conditions of its headland setting - from harsh sunlight to high winds and flooding - while maximising views of the surrounding landscape. An open central entertaining space features retractable window walls while more private spaces on either side are framed in board-formed concrete that will merge with the surrounding sand as it weathers over time. Guest bedrooms on the lower level provide space to host children, grandchildren and other friends and family, while an upper-level suite creates an intimate refuge for the client - a couple that live here year-round. Interiors feature tactile, natural materials like wood and leather and the home’s open spaces and big views are complemented by more protected, interior zones, allowing it to expand and contract to be comfortable for a couple or to host larger groups of friends and family. 

Design highlights

A system of highly durable, bespoke horizontal bi-fold screens can enclose the home to protect it from the elements or open it fully to capture the stunning views, while the house is raised above the dunes allowing water and sand to pass back and forth underneath.
The screens further moderate harsh summer sunlight, providing different levels of shade depending on the weather. An interior courtyard allows brings filtered daylight into the core of the home while a central water feature also helps to cool the air.

Photo credit: Rory Gardiner