Set deep amid scrubby woodland, rainforest species and ancient grass trees, Pearl Beach House is a sculptural modern brick home. Just moments away from the famed New South Wales strip of beach and eponymous village, the building's geometric masonry cuts an almost austere, contemporary figure among the leafy vegetation and the region's blue skies. The home is the brainchild of Sydney-based architect Polly Harbison.
‘This project explores ways to maintain a connection with the landscape, but in a different type of building, that intrinsically protects from bushfires. The form is derived from the site. Vertical elements face the street, reflecting the surrounding tree trunks. The long western “buffer” wall is a calm element within the bush, protecting from fire and providing privacy from the neighbouring walking trail,' Harbison says.
The house, conceived as a holiday home, was designed to sharply and effectively frame views of the natural environment surrounding it. This is reflected in the many outdoor areas and the strategically punctured windows across the circulation core – corridors and the main stairway – which look out to picture-perfect vistas. The living spaces have been elevated to the top floor to make the most of the tree-canopy views.
The main, light-grey brick skin, is complemented by heavily grained blackbutt timber joinery and ironbark floorboards that bring in a sense of the surrounding nature. Meanwhile, carefully selected detailing, fittings and home electricals – think cast in-situ concrete benchtops and splashbacks, Lindsey Wherrett sinks, Archier lights, Henry Wilson hardware and a sophisticated selection of Fisher & Paykel kitchen appliances – elevate the interior.
‘The very raw and robust detailing celebrates the heaviness of the building,' says Harbison. At the same time, the immaculate execution, attention to detail and natural element that makes itself present in every corner of Pearl Beach House speaks of a lightness of touch and an ethereal experience of staying in this weekend home
INFORMATION
-
Jaguar reveals its new graphic identity ahead of a long-awaited total brand rebootJaguar’s new ethos is Exuberant Modernism, encapsulated by a new visual language that draws on fine art, fashion and architecture
-
Olfactory Art Keller: the New York gallery exhibiting the smell of vintage perfume, blossoming lilacs and last night’s shameOlfactory Art Keller is a Manhattan-based gallery space dedicated to exhibiting scent as art. Founder Dr Andreas Keller speaks with Lara Johnson-Wheeler about the project, which doesn’t shy away from the ‘unpleasant’
-
Explore a barn conversion with a difference on the Isle of WightGianni Botsford Architects' barn conversion transforms two old farm buildings into an atmospheric residence and artistic retreat, The Old Byre
-
Remembering Alexandros Tombazis (1939-2024), and the Metabolist architecture of this 1970s eco-pioneerBack in September 2010 (W*138), we explored the legacy and history of Greek architect Alexandros Tombazis, who this month celebrates his 80th birthday.
-
Sun-drenched Los Angeles houses: modernism to minimalismFrom modernist residences to riveting renovations and new-build contemporary homes, we tour some of the finest Los Angeles houses under the Californian sun
-
Modernist architecture: inspiration from across the globeModernist architecture has had a tremendous influence on today’s built environment, making these midcentury marvels some of the most closely studied 20th-century buildings; here, we explore the genre by continent
-
Minimalist architecture: homes that inspire calmThese examples of minimalist architecture place life in the foreground – clutter is demoted; joy promoted
-
The iconic British house: key examples exploredNew book ‘The Iconic British House’ by Dominic Bradbury explores the country’s best residential examples since 1900
-
Loyle Carner’s Reading Festival 2023 stage presents spatial storytelling at its finestWe talk to Loyle Carner and The Unlimited Dreams Company (UDC) about the musical artist’s stage set design for Reading Festival 2023
-
The Leaf is a feat of engineering and an ode to the Canadian PrairiesThe Leaf in Winnipeg, Canada, is the first interactive horticultural attraction of its kind: a garden and greenhouse complex promoting a better understanding of how people can connect with plants
-
Behind the V&A East Museum’s pleated façadeBehind the new V&A East Museum’s intricate façade is a space for the imagination to unfold
