Bondi House

Just the word ‘Bondi’ floods the senses, the mind’s eye vivid with memories or stereotypes (depending on the location of holidays past): the crashing surf, bikinis and surfboards, the scorching sand, a blindingly bright sky stretched overhead, and the classic Aussie beach house across the street, a traditional fibro shack or the majestic homes of the rich and famous. The latter is more likely these days.

With such a rich sensory milieu, it’s no wonder that the Bondi House is such a beach beauty herself: lots of impossibly high white ceilings, skylights, blonde timber and clean lines. On the other hand, she hasn’t entirely lost her traditional spirit – there’s enough corrugated roofing and grassy backyard to evoke memories of the Aussie summer house, albeit with powerful overtones of edgy contemporary design.

Marsh Cashman Koolloos Architects had simple goals – sunlight to the interior and usable space to the rear – as well as a clear brief on how to go about it: “link and integrate”. But the issues were more complex than that.

The primary reason these needs arose in the first place was due to poor space planning and a change in level of nearly 3 metres: the existing house had been effectively cut off from its rear yard, and accessing natural sunlight had become an inherent problem. The new addition, which sits to the south of the existing cottage, had to achieve height, access to the midwinter sun and flow-through breezes, without overshadowing either the neighbours or the southern – and only – outside living space.

With this in mind, the form of the house was generated from the sun’s angle at midday in mid-winter, and, according to mck architects, the staircase, kitchen and living room elements “sort of fell into place”. With the priority resting on “linking and integrating” the internal space to the yard beyond, there was a real impetus to highlight a continuous passage through the house. This was expressed by a dynamic stream of timber panelling and detailing that runs through every level of the interior space, on the feature walls, staircase, window frames and balustrades. Other moments of focused detailing and material combination occur in the kitchen, although there was a concerted effort not to create anything that would dominate or distract from the main space. The ultra minimalist white-clad fireplace, has an almost silent presence in the space, and is a perfect example of the success of this non-intrusive design approach.

Of course the integration of indoor and outdoor is epitomised by the vast glazed folding wall, barely posing as a separation between the two spaces when closed, and completely removing the indoor/outdoor distinction when open – indeed, it’s as if the back lawn might creep into the back room, given half a chance.

From afar, the addition appears to embrace the old cottage – it is a seamless integration. The arcing form of the roof with its louvred northern skylights maximises winter sunlight and yet minimises the entry of the famously scorching Bondi summer sun. These louvres also open mechanically to allow the passage of sea breezes in the summer, and consistently good cross ventilation all year round. The doubleheight space created by the roof form also comes into its own in winter, allowing the gas-fired heating from lower levels to rise effortlessly to the upper spaces.

Solar panels were proposed for the site, but were refused by the local council due to the street’s conservation status. The ecological sensitivity of the home is ensured elsewhere, however, with the storage and re-use of water, and the suitable insulation of all roof spaces, walls and ceilings. The landscaped rear courtyard also maximises soft surfaces and trees that will grow to a mature height providing suitable shade in the summer. And while the slope of the roof serves a dramatically aesthetic purpose, it also plays a functional role, ensuring that the courtyard is filled with sunlight all year round, allowing for an outdoor drying area and outdoor living space, reducing heating use.

The design approach, materials used and construction techniques adopted are representative of the costeffective approach to the project. These positive methodologies were constrained only by the limitations of the site, particularly the lack of good access and sandy foundation material. And although a fairly constrained budget also determined the selection of cost-efficient internal materials and fittings, the result is undeniably and extremely elegant. Caught between Bondi’s old-time holiday cottages and enviable beachside residences, mcka’s new-and-improved Bondi House is now definitely among the latter. +

1 The Bondi House is a triumph of openness and integration, with a wall of sliding doors that effectively disappears when folded open. 2 According to architects, elements such as the staircase just “sort of fell into place” once the basic design was set. 3 The curved roof and skylight is strongly reminiscent of a glassy barrel wave, while minimal but powerful decorative pieces add focus to the open space.

PHOTOGRAPHY by Shannon McGrath