Design Buy Build Issue 38 2019 | Page 74

Gerroa House Gerroa is a popular holiday destination, on the South Coast of NSW. The village is located at the Northern end of a long beach, adjacent to a lagoon, with the main streets running out along the South side of the headland. This particular site is above the road, and slopes up to the North approximately 5m in elevation. There are extensive views to the South down the beach, as well as a view across the lagoon to the Southwest. There are houses adjacent as well as houses in the foreground of the view. A large Radiata Pine tree existed on the site in the rear corner. The best views are from the level at the rear of the site. The client’s brief was for a simple holiday house that took most advantage of the site. An easy transition from the beach to the house was required and surfaces are to be hardy so that durability is not a concern. The house needed to accommodate extended family groups, but also act as a simple weekender for a couple. Winter storms on the South coast are ferocious and this site is quite exposed to the South so the house had to be able to cope with this. The built form is articulated into 3 simple elements, under a continuous roof, that wrap around a central external space. 74