Sydney-based architecture firm
Tasked with designing a couple’s weekend hideaway,
Produced in partnership with
Upon entry, the Pearl Beach House immediately feels immersed in nature, away from the hustle of nearby Pearl Beach village. Encased in a concrete structure, with a high elevation echoing the surrounding forest canopy, Pearl Beach House takes the homeowners on a surprising journey into the bush.
Strategically located windows frame views of the Burrawang scrubby woodland, rainforest species and ancient grass trees, gently swaying and changing, like moving art. Perforated brickwork captures snippets of blue skies and bush while creating ‘shadow play’ as the sun moves throughout the day. Outside, a mix of open-air and covered spaces offers protection from the elements as well as private spaces to bask in the warm sunshine.
With bushland on three sides of the home, a combination of materiality including flame-zone rated windows, off-form concrete and masonry provides fire protection.
Internally, concrete floors, brick masonry, muted grey stone tiles and recycled timber feature throughout. Architect and principal Polly Harbison says the material palette is purposefully pared back to bring the outside in and allow the adjacent bushland to remain the focus. “The material palette is deliberately very homogeneous and calm, in direct contrast to the rich greens and reds of the bush,” Polly Harbison says.
“Fisher & Paykel appliances were specified for their seamless integration. Allowing the home to achieve a minimalist aesthetic without compromising on functionality.”
– Polly Harbison
Polished concrete underfoot leads to custom stone benchtops and splashbacks in the open plan kitchen, accented with blackbutt timber joinery and shelving. A single
A sleek
The raw aesthetic continues throughout the private spaces. Timber flooring adds to the ‘earthy feel’ within the bedrooms, with full-length windows taking full advantage of the landscape beyond. Indoor and outdoor bathrooms adorned with grey mosaic tiles mirror the same tonality as the common spaces. “With such a homogenous colour palette, texture and the play of light is critical for all surfaces. For this reason, concrete render is used, even on the ceilings, in place of paint,” Polly says.
Testament to Polly’s design practice which is ‘committed to creating sophisticated and elegantly resolved architecture’, Polly says her biggest reward is happy clients. Sharing the homeowner’s words as they reflect on their new sanctuary, she says they describe the ‘everyday’ being elevated as they walk through the spaces and experience variations in light, mood and texture. “It is impossible not to smile when bathing outdoors; in the elements. We feel part of what is around us.”
“The material palette is deliberately very homogeneous and calm, in direct contrast to the rich greens and reds of the bush.”
– Polly Harbison
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