There are some important differences between ‘beach houses’ and official ‘houses’ (i.e. places of permanent residence).

Houses involve routine, schedules, chores and boundaries. Everybody knows where everything belongs and everybody knows whose bedroom is second on the left. Beach Houses, on the other hand, are where holidays take place. They are all about unexpected comings and goings, spur of the moment plans, fun, relaxation and flexibility. Possessions are mainly of the ‘must-have’ variety and sharing is the order of the day.

South Coast House by architects Clare Design successfully acknowledges this distinction. Located near Moruya on the NSW South Coast, it is a small family home that is flexible enough to handle the arrival of friends and guests at holiday times.

Simple and unpretentious, the house features a central courtyard, enclosed on three sides by glazing and above by a louvre roof. In summer the courtyard can be opened to the nearby ocean by sliding across the eastern glazed doors. Then, during the cooler months, it can be enclosed on all sides with the louvre roof open to provide winter sun into the living spaces (or closed, depending on the weather).

In addition, the third bedroom/guest room on the western side of the house can, itself, be fully opened to the courtyard. Flexibility is key here. The beach house can adapt to accommodate the changing seasons or the arrival of guests. A lower floor, with its own entry, is a self contained fourth bedroom/guest room/granny flat.

The house’s exterior walls feature LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB® cladding in COLORBOND® steel colour Monument®, while the roof is of LYSAGHT CUSTOM ORB® roof sheeting in COLORBOND® steel colour Dune®.

A lightweight yet strong material, CUSTOM ORB® is the original Australian corrugated iron. As architect Lindsay Clare explained, he has been using these products since the early 1970s. On this project he was, once again, very happy with the results.

“We love the humble aesthetics of the corrugated iron - it is perfect for an unassuming Australian beach house. It is also robust which is important for the salt environment and the local bushfire requirements,” he said.

The products also met with planning requirements. “The Council required recessive colours. Monument sits comfortably within the landscape,” said Lindsay.

South Coast House delivers on its ‘Beach House’ promise. It is a comfortable family home that is flexible enough to handle all the variations and surprises of holiday times. Sitting comfortably between ocean and bushland, it allows its occupants to make the most of its idyllic location.