Court House
Court House
The Court House, Aireys Inlet, 2014 - 2016
Designed for a couple relocating from Melbourne to the Surf Coast, this modest home occupies a quiet court, with a walking track leading to a secluded beach just beyond the cul-de-sac. The client, a recycled timber merchant, brought both an appreciation and access to local timbers, which naturally informed the project’s material palette. Clad in Australian White Mahogany and anchored by expressed Blackbutt structure, the house sits low in the landscape, quietly embedded within the coastal bush setting.
Early in the design process, a struggling Moonah at the centre of the site was revealed by the removal of a competing Paperbark. This tree became a quiet focal point, with the building form arranged around it to create a protected courtyard space at the heart of the home.
The courtyard mediates between two pavilions—one social, one private—and responds directly to the brief for an outdoor area shielded from strong southerly winds. Bifold corten steel gates define the space, allowing it to be either closed and internalised or opened to extend the surrounding landscape into the heart of the home. The gates also act as the entry threshold, lending a moment of pause and arrival.
Living, dining, and kitchen areas occupy the eastern pavilion, opening onto a native garden and benefiting from morning sun. The western pavilion houses bedrooms and utility spaces, connected vertically by a central stair. Movement between wings is intentionally external—through the courtyard—reinforcing a sense of rhythm and connection to the outdoors.
Inside, the material palette is robust and pared back: hoop pine plywood walls with hardwood battens, polished concrete floors, and fibre-cement sheet ceilings. Joinery is expressed with the same clarity and care. The collaborative efforts of skilled builders and craftspeople are evident throughout, with a strong focus on construction detail and finish.
The design draws from the informality and openness of the Australian beach house, offering opportunities for the clients to live outdoors as much as in.
The low profile of the dwelling from the street allows the landscape to remain dominant, reflecting the understated nature of many coastal communities. Passive solar design, thermal mass, and cross-ventilation are key to the home's environmental performance. A translucent roof over the courtyard admits soft light, while the orientation and detailing of shading devices moderate sun exposure and temperature throughout the seasons.
A hydronic system heated by a central wood-fired boiler, combined with a solar hot water service, ensures warmth through cooler months. Built for longevity and adaptability, this house is intended to accommodate not only the current needs of the clients but those of future generations—a quiet and enduring presence in a changing coastal landscape.
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