Houzz Tour: Coastal Vacation House Sits Lightly on the Land
This low-maintenance home nestled in the Australian bush is designed for flexible, informal and sustainable living
The Fleurieu Peninsula, one hour from Adelaide, Australia, is one of South Australia’s great vacation destinations, with natural bushland, unspoiled coastline, secluded beaches and a variety of wildlife. Waitpinga Retreat is set within this magnificent landscape. It is the second residence of an Adelaide couple who plan to make it their permanent residence once they both retire.
With attention to flexibility, informality and sustainability, architect Martin Williamson has designed Waitpinga Retreat as an off-the-grid, single-bedroom retreat that expands to accommodate larger groups of family and friends. “It is a true [vacation] home providing casual and informal living within flexible spaces,” Williamson says, “and it reflects the owners’ desire to live as sustainably as possible.”
With attention to flexibility, informality and sustainability, architect Martin Williamson has designed Waitpinga Retreat as an off-the-grid, single-bedroom retreat that expands to accommodate larger groups of family and friends. “It is a true [vacation] home providing casual and informal living within flexible spaces,” Williamson says, “and it reflects the owners’ desire to live as sustainably as possible.”
The house has an enclosed breezeway and deck separating the guest quarters — a bedroom, bunk room and bathroom — on the right from the main living space and master bedroom on the left. “The conceptual framework of the project came from discussions about how the building was to be used,” Williamson says. “The three underlying principles that emerged were: flexibility of space, the facilitation of casual and informal living, and the desire to live sustainably.”
Thus, the house can expand from a self-contained one-bedroom home to accommodate larger groups. The design promotes a casual, informal lifestyle amid the beauty of its natural surroundings. By functioning off the grid, it provides for its own power, water and wastewater management.
Thus, the house can expand from a self-contained one-bedroom home to accommodate larger groups. The design promotes a casual, informal lifestyle amid the beauty of its natural surroundings. By functioning off the grid, it provides for its own power, water and wastewater management.
Elevated off the ground to leave the natural topography intact, the house sits comfortably within its setting. The simple form of the house references the old galvanized sheep-shearing sheds throughout the area, as do the robust materials such as galvanized steel, blackbutt wood, fiber cement sheet and glass.
This structure and choice of materials also achieve excellent thermal insulation performance with a 120-millimeter (about 4¾-inch) wood frame, core-filled concrete walls and Energy Advantage glazing.
This structure and choice of materials also achieve excellent thermal insulation performance with a 120-millimeter (about 4¾-inch) wood frame, core-filled concrete walls and Energy Advantage glazing.
At the intersection of the private home and guest quarters is a central breezeway that acts as the focal point of the house. It has large sliding doors and windows that facilitate a flexible indoor-outdoor space, significant cross ventilation, and bushland views on one side with rolling hill and ocean views on the other side.
“This veranda space can be used in different ways in response to the weather conditions,” Williamson says. “Either as a breezeway with the glazed bifold doors open, or as a conservatory or sunroom with the doors closed. This flexibility means the owners can always find a pleasant place to relax and enjoy the outdoors. It’s where conversations occur, food is shared and views of the ocean and bush are enjoyed.”
Inside the house, that same flexibility of space and desire to live casually, informally and sustainably continues. The main section of the house accommodates the kitchen, dining area and living space, with the master bedroom and bathroom concealed behind the concrete-block wall in the center of the room.
Copper pendants: Willie Stewart Interiors
Copper pendants: Willie Stewart Interiors
In a palette of gray, the kitchen complements the galvanized steel and fiber cement sheet on the exterior of the house. It has polished concrete and stainless steel countertops, and painted plywood cabinets.
The window above the kitchen sink opens to the breezeway, while the kitchen island provides a place for food preparation and a spot for people to gather, socialize, eat and drink.
Polished concrete kitchen countertop poured and polished on site by the builder: Catalyst Homes; stainless steel kitchen countertop: Advanced Sheet Metal; tiles: Tiles on Bradman Drive
The window above the kitchen sink opens to the breezeway, while the kitchen island provides a place for food preparation and a spot for people to gather, socialize, eat and drink.
Polished concrete kitchen countertop poured and polished on site by the builder: Catalyst Homes; stainless steel kitchen countertop: Advanced Sheet Metal; tiles: Tiles on Bradman Drive
Wood floors and frames are in harmony with the bushland outside, as well as being a sustainable choice. “We reused Australian hardwoods for flooring and decking instead of cheaper Southeast Asian rain forest timber, which is often harvested without regard to its sustainability,” Williamson says.
An oversized window seat next to the kitchen and living room provides a place to read, relax and sleep, as well as the option of another bed, if needed.
Wood-framed windows and doors: Woodlite Joinery
An oversized window seat next to the kitchen and living room provides a place to read, relax and sleep, as well as the option of another bed, if needed.
Wood-framed windows and doors: Woodlite Joinery
The master bedroom and bathroom continue the same material palette with wood floors, plywood cabinetry and a concrete-block wall. Natural light is filtered through ribbon windows; in the bedroom this offers views of the outdoor setting, and in the bathroom it functions like a skylight.
The guest quarters are on the other side of the breezeway, with a bedroom and bathroom downstairs and a bunk room upstairs. “This second bathroom also ensures the owners have a level of privacy while entertaining guests,” Williamson says.
Bunk room plywood: Australian Timbers
Bunk room plywood: Australian Timbers
In addition to flexibility and informality, sustainability was a major aspect of the project, and the house has been designed to function off the grid.
The house is oriented east-west to take advantage of the winter sun to the north, and double glazing is used throughout. “High-level vents via ducting and low-wattage fans deliver warm air from the living room to other rooms, and large, operable glazed doors and windows offer extensive cross ventilation for cooling in summer,” Williamson says.
The house is oriented east-west to take advantage of the winter sun to the north, and double glazing is used throughout. “High-level vents via ducting and low-wattage fans deliver warm air from the living room to other rooms, and large, operable glazed doors and windows offer extensive cross ventilation for cooling in summer,” Williamson says.
Power is produced by solar panels and stored in a battery bank. Additional heating is provided by a slow-combustion wood heater that burns fallen timber collected on the property. Rainwater is collected and stored in four tanks with a total capacity of 24,000 gallons. Wastewater, which is treated through an aerobic sand filter, is used for irrigation in the garden.
This low-impact and low-maintenance house ticks all the boxes for its owners: It’s sustainable, informal and flexible, and it serves as a vacation house now, with a view to being their permanent home in the future.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: This is the second home of a couple who plan to retire here
Location: Waitpinga, Australia
Size: 2,497 square feet (232 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Architect: Mountford Williamson Architecture
Awards: Commendation for residential architecture, South Australia Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects, 2016
Waitpinga Retreat is set on a coastal site surrounded by picturesque bushland, with dramatic views of the water. It is approached via a road that winds through the bush and offers views that gradually reveal the house. This siting takes advantage of the location, respects the context of the site and is optimized for passive solar design.