The Pool House at Sunshine Beach has been designed by Bark Design Architects in Queensland, Australia. The residence is focused on creating an ‘oasis of leisure’ sited within the relatively tight confines of four neighboring houses and a duplex surrounding the boundaries of its 5,769 square foot (536 square meters) coastal site. The beach house provides varying places to enjoy family time, relaxation and memorable holidays with secondary spaces located around a central private North facing double height indoor outdoor room with the raised swimming pool at its north eastern edge.

Northern sunlight is reflected off the water and dances on the ceilings and walls of the surrounding spaces, which can also be enjoyed from the intimate scale of the upholstered corner window seat ‘boxes’ in each high level bedroom. Stretched along the house’s long North Eastern edge, a high level ‘green screen’ of timber and stainless steel wire provides the framework for a light filtering coastal vine, and rich patterns of light and shadow.

The character has an uncomplicated and ‘authentic’ beach house feel focused on light, livability and a contemporary aesthetic. Taking visual clues from coastal beach shacks of the mid-century, the economical material palette combines exposed timber framing, Spotted Gum hardwood screens, exposed studs, FC weatherboards, and polished concrete evocative of beach sand.

Visit the website of Bark Design Architects here.

Photos: Christopher Frederick Jones, Claire Plush