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Disconnect you from everyday life in this sustainable beach house

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An individual holding a surfboard while looking out the exterior of St Andrews Beach House
Dining area with green pendant light and glass windows
Exterior close-up view of St Andrews Beach House

St Andrews Beach House is a sustainable circular beach house nestled into rugged sand dunes on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. The eye catching, yet simply designed home has no corridors or circulation space which were deemed a waste of valuable space by Austin Maynard Architects, so a circular design was the perfect solution.

The owner had challenged the architects to design a ‘bach’ which is a New Zealand term to describe a rough and ready, down to earth, simple beach shack which provids a contrast to every day city life. A place for simplicity and relaxation with friends and family. By not adhering to a typical layout, it forces the occupants to live differently, which further enhances the feeling of disconnection from normal life.

A feature trusses design dining area with a dining set and potted plants
Bedroom fronting glass windows with a potted plant next to it

This stunning round house measures less than 5m in radius which creates a very small footprint in the dunes, and was designed with the mindset of including as much as was needed, but as little as possible. Passive solar principles guided the design and the circular shape connects you to the landscape almost like a viewing platform, with views of sand dunes and wild bush from every angle.

A sustainable circular beach house view from a distance
Detailed view of a sustainable circular beach house exterior
Stairwell behind a green curtain in the hallway with potted plants

Sustainability specs:
– Sustainable beach house
– Small footprint at less than 5m radius
– Passive solar design
– Double glazed windows
– Low maintenance, durable materials
– Solar panels with micro-inverters
– Set up to install solar battery in the future
– Rainwater is collected and used for toilets and garden irrigation

A green circular stairway, next to the kitchen area
A countertop is next to a wooden dining table with a green pendant light
An open window in a bedroom with a double-deck bed
A roof truss in the living room with potted plants and glass windows
A sustainable circular beach house view from a distance when interior lights are on
From the architect:

This is not a slick beach house, but a relaxed and informal escape, designed with materials that will patina and weather, like an old coastal wharf.

Images courtesy of Austin Maynard Architects. Photography by Derek Swalwell
Via www.maynardarchitects.com
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