The Loft

The Home Base blog

Not Your Average Beach House

Bringing the outdoors inside

27.03.2024

In partnership with their client, Seascape Designs created this unique energy efficient and sustainable beach home. There are no surprises that this impressive home won The Best Contract Home ($650,000 – $750,000) in the 2021 MBA Bankwest Building Excellence Awards – South West.

Using low embodied energy materials, and blending a mix of modern building materials, this home truly inspires. We asked David Pratt from Seascape Designs to tell us more.

Picture: Fletcher Visuals

What was your clients brief for their Seascape Designs Build?

The client had visions of their dream home and wanted to work with a builder that allowed them to play a major role in the project. With their local knowledge the client envisioned a unique passive solar design to fit the block perfectly.

They desired an energy efficient, sustainable home using as much of the natural light and elements whilst creating a dream home that would be unique to them and set the home apart from an ‘average beach house’.

Picture: Fletcher Visuals

What are the highlights of this home design – what makes this home unique?

One of the major highlights in this design is the passive solar principles used in the open central living and outdoor living areas.

Leading up to the front door and alfresco area overlooking the pool your eyes are drawn into the centre of the home. The house is wrapped around the central pool area and the oversized Jason Stacking Doors disappear into the wall providing a large, seamless opening to the central part of the home.

Picture: Fletcher Visuals

Do you have a favourite feature in this home and why?

Looking over the central pool from the comfortable pool room straight through the big open living area to the cosy garden and stone outdoor fireplace.

There are so many features in this house I adore; the massive bedroom window, and the timber and dark colorbond feature floating walls that you first see when entering the property. The variety of materials, textures and tones used is delightful. Not to mention the Cavity Jason Stacking Doors providing unobstructed views from anywhere in the home.

Picture: Fletcher Visuals

How did the windows and doors play a role in the design or the client’s requirements?

The Jason Stacking Doors and Windows played a massive part in this design, something that was a must for the client. They knew that the initial outlay would be more but being the main feature and knowing the incredible impact they would add to the home they knew it would be worth the investment.

Did you come across any challenges with this home design?

Building a house this size on an 818m2 block was always going to be a challenge but the design uses every part of the block up perfectly. We were lucky with such a tight on site fit with access around the whole site, a driveway to the property at the back and a vacant block at the front for storing materials.

Trying to work out how to incorporate the Jason Stacking Doors into the walls was a challenge when it was our first time with this type of door system. But it was a major relief when the large Stacking Doors were installed and worked perfectly, disappearing into the walls seamlessly.

Probably one of the biggest challenges throughout this project was the weather, the relentless winter storms that hammered us all winter and gave us a lot of grief throughout different stages. But once the sun came out again and the rain stopped it all came together just in time for the family Christmas party in their new home.

About the Contributor/Author:

This post was provided by Jason Windows. To find out more, visit jasonwindows.com.au