The new owners wished to extend the house whilst preserving the character of the existing house. New programme includes additional bedrooms, bathrooms and car accommodation. The original fibro beach house appears as indigenous to the steep Coolum Hill site as the scrubby coastal vegetation amassed at the rear of the site. The remnant vegetation is valued as providing a counterpoint to the ocean view – a dense, shaded reprieve from the panorama of sea and sky. At street level, a concrete bunker accommodates cars on the site, negating the need for a steep driveway and reclaiming space for a garden overlooked from the living spaces and decks above. Minor excavation reveals a courtyard space below what was previously a timber pool deck. The existing internal stair connects the external circulation route from the street to the open air circulation of the extension. Within the extension, a linear verandah provides access to bedrooms and bathrooms, culminating in a daybed nestled into the fringe of the remnant.

Architects | Owen and Vokes

Photography| Jon Linkins