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BALMORAL BEACH HOUSE

​As an architect, nothing is more satisfying than turning something flawed into something beautiful - there is also nothing more daunting than building your own home. A tiny 1930s dilapidated bungalow on an elevated site steps from Balmoral beach, to many, its only appeal lay in demolition and rebuild. Alexandra however, saw it as a canvas for preservation. 

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With a deep respect for its history and origins, Alexandra designed a new home for her family using elements of the bungalow as the foundation. Demolishing the front half and preserving the back rooms became the key to unlocking the property's potential, flooding the interiors with natural light, and providing space for a new studio and a first-floor addition above the original brick structure.

Overcoming the visual exposure of the elevated site required a thoughtful landscape intervention. A winding stair and pathway was added up to the property through a rehabilitated landscape of native trees, shrubs, and grasses. 

 

The steep approach angle became an opportunity to craft a visually captivating facade, playing with under-surfaces, shadows, and recesses. Using a warm palette of native Spotted Gum timber juxtaposed with charred black Ironbark cladding, the house is anchored to its surroundings, creating a harmonious connection with the native red Angophora trees. Sliding timber screens add privacy at night, casting a beautiful lantern-like glow.

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For the home’s interior, original fittings and fixtures found a second life. Stained-glass windows were restored and repurposed, the original front door reinstalled, and even a basin re-enamelled and put back into the original bathroom. 

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The layout and interiors echoed how the family lives. As a family of artists and musicians, the design revolved around the placement of our piano, the heart of our socialising and entertaining. An overflow internal deck and wraparound bunkette seating cater to larger gatherings, completing a home that matches their life's rhythm. 

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In its final form, Balmoral Beach House is a testament to transforming a challenging site into a visual delight. Every detail reflects a conscious effort to preserve and enhance its spaces. Living in the original house allowed for the solution to emerge over time in a way that respects the past while also embracing the future. It is now not just a house but a narrative layered with texture and time that harmoniously whispers tales of the beach, the nature reserve, and its past. 

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