Located at the edge of a low-lying coastal reserve fronting Tallow Beach, Byron Bay House and Studio is a single-storey house situated within a suburban subdivision. In its immediate condition, the design is principally concerned with two key themes: The importance of nature in everyday life, and exploring potential for space layering as an alternative approach to the standard ‘pavilion’ beach house model – using Smoke from PGH Bricks Smooth range.
A critical feature of architectural work in this home by Vokes and Peters centers on the provision of open space, access to nature, and the amenity they provide coastal-suburban living. Combining a modest budget with the long-term outlook of the middle-aged owners necessitated that the plan be restricted to a single storey, ensuring a compact layout. These constraints encouraged the exploration of an atypical beach house model – the “fat” plan. This is a planning approach that celebrates spatial complexity and nuanced lighting conditions. A rich and tactile material palette is further employed to complement the more introverted nature of the building; it also assists in wayfinding.
Architect: Vokes and Peters
Photography: Christopher Frederick Jones
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