Concrete beach house with Japanese aesthetic in Noosa Heads
A Japanese aesthetic combined with a unique take on the Australian beach house is what inspired David Teeland of Teeland Architects in designing this home in Noosa Heads in Queensland. In the words of the architect:
“This building is different to what most people think of as beach architecture. When people think of beach architecture they tend to think of a light weight timber and fibro beach shack, visited on weekends and holidays. For those of us who permanently live on the coast there’s other ways to look at the beach shack and build something more permanent. The challenge however is how you design a building that is more permanent without loosing the freedom and lifestyle that the coast is all about. That’s what this project tries to do. It explores an unusual set of materials for the Sunshine Coast by using off form concrete instead of timber and tin. There is a lot of international influence in the design which for many may seem formal, but actually creates a very calming space. There’s also a tendency to think that hot climates should use light weight materials, but I don’t think that’s necessarily true. If used properly heavy materials can be an asset. For example, the concrete in this project is generally shaded and because of this it remains cool in summer. You can feel this when you touch it with your hand and that brings a smile to my face when it’s scorching hot out side. That’s part of the oasis affect this house has. The concrete screens the sounds of the neighbours and cools the heat of summer. It’s your own special world in there that overlooks the trees and forest at the rear of the house. The volumes are large and the concrete creates a simple but beautiful style. The windows of the house are orientated to catch the winter sun and you end up with light striking down onto the concrete. The house always seems to be shifting between light and shadow. It’s a wonderful combination of materials, proportion and orientation.”
Sustainable features: Solar orientation, natural ventilation and light, solar PV electricity and rainwater tanks.
[photography by Nic Granleese]
