Architect | Zen Architects
By referencing the old beach house’s simple, elegant form and practical, efficient spaces, we designed something entirely new yet surprisingly familiar. Integral to the brief was the contrasting needs of the desire to capture ocean views, while providing privacy and protection from cold southerly winds. The existing footprint was re-used but the form was re-designed to respond to these needs while also harnessing solar gain for passive heating in winter and cross ventilation for passive cooling in summer.
Design | Ricardo Zen
Photography | Emma Cross
The existing garden was retained and increased in size by reducing the new building’s footprint. This allowed for a productive garden to thrive on the northern façade, helping to control sun and wind and making the house feel more comfortable and connected to the ground. The goal was to establish a relationship between occupants, house and site.
No timber from the demolition works left the site: oregon rafters were reused as cabinetry, stair treads; all floor boards and decking boards were de-nailed and reused and the original hard wood stumps were reused as the front entry stairs. Windows from the house were reused internally to separate the study from the living room and externally to shelter the north facing deck from sea breezes. PVC plumbing pipes, light fittings and the wood fire was reused.
The radially sawn timber fins on the east façade angle variably, animating the façade like a wave above the viewer when approaching the building. This twisted façade serves to protect the southern end of the upper floor decks from cold south-easterly breezes while opening out to the sun and views at the northern end. These timber fins are visible both inside and out, which ties the building together reinforcing the feelings of shelter and connection to the natural world.
Designed by Ricardo Zen, this home is nestled in a quiet court in Jan Juc, on the Surf Coast of Victoria.
As with most of our houses this house has a northerly aspect which also overlooks the fourth hole fairway on The Sands Torquay golf courses and beyond to a rural outlook. This house is like the Links Drive house, it has been constructed with the environment in mind. With living spaces on both levels, insulation was very important not only to retain the warmth but to control the sound between floors.
The house also has two rain water tanks to salvage some of the rain from the roof.
