Florida House

Florida House sits on Bunurong/Boonwurrung Country on the Bass Coast. The clients were leaving a large family home for a smaller, level block in a quiet, established part of town, close to friends and the beach. They wanted a compact house for the two of them to grow old well in, one that could still fill up when their three children came home for weekends, holidays and, eventually, with families of their own.

The brief asked for lightness and stillness, a house that was bold and a bit quirky without being brash, and views to the garden wherever possible. Drawing on classic mid-century homes, Florida House splits into two single-storey blocks on either side of an internal courtyard, held together by a flat roof that seems to hover above them on a band of continuous glazing. Clerestory windows bring daylight deep into the rooms, and vertical elements shape a series of outdoor spaces, each with its own mood.

One block is the main house. The other is a self-contained wing for the children and their visitors, which can be closed off when the house is quiet or rented out down the track. Inside, built-in window seats give places to retreat to, a quiet room is set aside for music, reading and meditation, and a long corridor holds storage and desk space along its length. Even the bath looks out onto greenery.

The house is made for life near the beach. There’s an outdoor shower to rinse off sand, a workshop, and room for the bikes, paddleboards and kayaks.

The materials are sturdy and honest. White brick sets off the garden, spotted gum timber warms the interiors, and a deep green fascia (Dulux Deep Reed) answers the clients’ wish for a bolder palette. The living room opens onto a brick-paved terrace, and a curving path leads into a garden by Akas Landscape Architecture. Over time it will grow into the lawn, deciduous shade trees, vegie patch and chook run the clients pictured when they first saw the block.

Selected Media:

• The Design Files
• Australian Design Review
• Plain Magazine
• Co Architecture
• Archdaily
• Design Anthology