In Australia, a Beach Shack Beloved by Locals Gets a Net-Zero Revamp

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Project Details:

Location: Mollymook, New South Wales, Australia

Architect: Alexander Symes Architect / @asa_alexandersymesarchitect

Footprint: 1,668 square feet

Builder: Skylar Construction

Structural Engineer: Geoff Metzler & Associates

Interior Design: Inn. Studio

Cabinetry: Australian Hardwood Joinery

Photographer: Barton Taylor / @barton_taylor

From the Architect: "The original structure on-site was affectionately known as ‘Cake House’ by the local community. Its sharp, triangular shape provided the coastal town of Mollymook with an icon and a wayfinding point for surfers. Respecting and upgrading this iconic shape became the overarching concept for the project. Additionally, a high-performance envelope, durability, and protection from storm surges were emphasized.

"The underlying design principle was to prioritize resource efficiency by reusing and celebrating materials to re-life a local icon for the next generation. The original beach shack is reminiscent of the vernacular and scale of this coastal town. We sought to respect the existing building by minimizing the scale of the rear addition, ensuring it is not visible from the street and maintains the existing view corridors. We worked hard to optimize the layout to make flexible spaces that could accommodate many people without feeling overcrowded. We elevated the living space to celebrate the sea views with an outdoor room merging down to the landscape via generous amphitheater seating. The bedrooms on the lower floor act as bunkers for insulated thermal mass with a robust structure to resist impacts of climate change.

"Cake House has been upgraded to incorporate Passive House EnerPHit principles including high insulation, no thermal bridges, low air infiltration, high-performance glazing, and a heat recovery ventilation system. Ultimately, it has been designed to operate as a passive mixed-mode beach shack, destined to be robust against its extreme context and an intensifying climate. It operates as 100-percent electric and net-zero energy use (-7,000kWh/yr back to the grid) with an on-site photovoltaic system. The programming of the house has remained similar, with an ocean-facing kitchen and living upstairs, and bedrooms below. A landscape berm has been built around the lower level to protect the rooms from increasing storm surges, acting as a hind sand dune. The diamond entry and lobby anchoring the two levels has been retained and upgraded. The reinstated ‘kite’ roof has been sharpened and lightly sails over the internal spaces. The light roof form is grounded by the recycled hardwood and carbon-neutral concrete formed from the original aluminum cladding."