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stumbled across one of the best beachfront locations in the region. It sat on a promontory immediately in front of the sand dunes, with 270° ocean views. But its unusual north-facing aspect meant the house could be designed to make the most of those views without being fully exposed to prevailing winds. “There were also advantages with the orientation for the sun,” says Banham. “Our winters can be quite cool, but the lower winter sun can penetrate into a house if it faces north.” However, for much of the year the interiors and outdoor living areas had to be shaded from the sun. “We needed extensive overhangs, so we used the roof and balconies to give protection,” says Banham. “We’ve tapered the steel beams to cantilever the overhangs and clad them with Scyon.” These roof planes became the driving force behind the design, penetrating the interiors to form bulkheads. They also tie the house to the view, with the prominent line of the horizon in the distance. Facing page, top: Architect Gary Banham has spent a lifetime designing houses. He realised the potential of this site when it first came on the market and perfected the plans for his own home over several years before building began. Facing page, lower: The house makes the most of the north-facing aspect with 270° views to the Indian Ocean. Above: While the oceanside site provides a great outlook, it also presented two issues that the design of the house needed to address – blustery winter winds and intense summer afternoon sun. search | save | share at trendsideas.com 19