This sustainable beach house is designed to disconnect you from everyday life

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.

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.

Sustainability specs:
– 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

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.