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The ocean-liner aspect north
reveals slender, planar quality.
Was your initial reaction to capture the
hero water views?
My clients had a house here previously and
knew the site well. Yes, there is the view
north towards Brisbane Water and Hardy’s
Bay but there were other aspects including an
escarpment to the east and the National Park
behind the house to the west. We didn’t face
the building in any particular way, we just ran
with the site geometry.
But isn’t that the impulse, to claim
the obvious and miss other qualities?
It wasn’t the sort of house in which you could
capture one stunning panoramic view. There
are definitely those features in the distance
that become part of what the house finally is.
In a way you’re straight-jacketed by your
neighbors so there is the issue of privacy.
Doesn’t that restrict opening up fully on all
si des?
We were building in suburban, central-coast
territory. The neighborhood isn’t necessarily
one of pretty houses. That was a major issue.
What distinguishes good design from the
typical builder’s box?
It should move you. It has to make you feel
something and I think this house has that
lightness of touch you expect of a beach
house in this sort of climate. It isn’t a city
house bought from a catalogue and just
dropped in here. It’s really tailored for the site
and specifically for the lifestyle of the clients.
One of the project’s special qualities is its
fantastic flexibility. There is that avoidance of
the straight-jacket which some buildings tend
to impose.