Designed by March Studio, this beach house - an hour’s drive from Melbourne - celebrates the coastal scrub of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Photography: John Gollings
Somers Beach House by March Studio, Australia
Somers Beach House by March Studio, Australia
The single-storey residence is constructed almost entirely in timber, with substantial angular glulam beams providing a sense of drama from the street
Created for a design-savvy couple with an impressive collection of contemporary art, the brief to March Studio included sufficient wall space to display art as well as substantial glass walls and windows to appreciate the natural bush setting
'We created a fairly neutral interior for the art,' says March Studio director Rodney Eggleston, pointing out the white plaster combined with lime-washed timber walls
Approximately 250 square metres in size, the Somers house is divided into two wings. The main house includes an open plan kitchen, dining and living areas...
...together with the adjoining main bedroom and dressing area
'I wanted to reference the timber homes in the area, those built in the 1950s and 60s, in particular a timber house designed by the architect Kevin Borland,' explains Eggleston
The architect engaged a former shipbuilder to construct the house
A 'boardwalk' connects the two wings of the house
There are two bedrooms and a bathroom, accessed only from the boardwalk, which remain protected from the elements but independent of the main house
‘There is a sense of a motel from the 1950s, with the separate bedroom and bathroom. But this allows the house to be energy efficient when the owners come on their own,' says Eggleston
And to ensure light and heat from the harsh Australian sun in the residence can be monitored throughout the year...
...automated striped awnings add an important layer to the design. ‘When you arrive, it’s not dissimilar to pitching a tent,' adds Eggleston