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Their approach sets the dwelling apart. "Our client's black box 'beach shack,' as he describes it, is a virtual anomaly in a community filled with skillion-roofed houses in yellow color schemes."

Godwin says the firm chose plywood because of its structural qualities and resistance to termites, and because it is produced from fast-growing pine plantations. The stain applied to the wood provides a natural, earthy look that will age gracefully — "like a piece of driftwood" — unlike a painted skin that would flake and peel in time. Randomly placed vertical plywood battens bolster the plywood sheets structurally and control buckling and warping, as well as adding textural interest.

Godwin says "the salt issue" is particularly challenging: "It gets everywhere and can rust and corrode most metals." Double-dipped galvanized steelwork, both hidden and exposed, was the architects' solution throughout the house. The metal's textured finish also suits the getaway's functional aesthetic.

All windows and external doors are framed with natural anodized aluminum, an effective alternative to timber for sealing thresholds and other openings. The metal is durable, requires little or no maintenance, and will be reusable if it is ever removed.

She Oak House is grounded to its site by oversized galvanized posts that march down its sides. Large timber-clad sliding doors open into a semi-outdoor circulation corridor, which runs the house's length from front to back.

Inside, stained timber paneling and polished concrete deliver a sleek yet durable finish. The ground-level living spaces open onto a side courtyard, culminating in a dramatic outdoor room at the rear that overlooks a pool and nearby dunes. The upstairs includes simple bedrooms and bathrooms that relate to the level below through a series of voids and openings.

A double-height entry space features decking boards through which salt and sand can be hosed away. "You can take a shower en route back in from the ocean and go directly to relaxing," explains Godwin. The space also includes a concealed laundry room for wetsuits and a storage rack for surfboards.

The architects implemented passive climate-control strategies to increase comfort sustainably. "To design a place that is open and airy in the summer yet shut down against chilly southeast winter breezes is tricky," Godwin observes. Orientation, cross-ventilation, and control of solar penetration were intrinsic design considerations. Throughout the house, louvered windows aid air movement and sunshades reduce heat gain.

"While there will always be days where there is minimal natural air movement and the air conditioner is required — in both summer and reverse-cycle modes — the idea was to minimize these and reduce the carbon footprint of the house," says Godwin. "As much as possible, we wanted the house to breathe naturally."

Base Architecture also served as landscape designer. A grass-cell driveway, appropriate for the dwelling's sporadic use, adds to the casual feeling. Local land covenants dictated preferred and forbidden plant species, and a variety of hardy, drought-tolerant native varieties were selected. Rainwater is collected onsite for use in the toilets and washing machine, for topping off the swimming pool, and for minimal irrigation.

Suburban Sanctuary

A commission to design a house for a subdivision on Brisbane's western fringe wasn't very inspiring to architect James Russell — until he saw the site.

"My clients, a couple with two young children, had superb parkland-adjacent property at the end of a cul-de-sac," Russell explains. "I knew I could create a unique residence for them that would relate to and connect two different contexts — nature to the northwest and the suburban community to the southeast."

The Sanctuary Place House exemplifies a compelling sense of place. Oriented to capture surrounding views and gentle breezes, the 275-square-meter (2,960-square-foot) residence is clad primarily in brick — a low-maintenance finish and a gesture to its neighbors. The boxy home also makes use of simple fiber cement cladding.

Clinging to its southern and eastern boundaries, the house maximizes its relationship with the adjacent parkland and offers other landscaping opportunities. Sliding doors allow it to adapt to the weather, and verandas provide sheltered outdoor space consistent with the Queensland vernacular.   >>>

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SUBSCRIPTION SAMPLE Large sections of the glazed walls of She Oak House can be folded aside, connecting indoor living spaces with adjacent decks. Photo: Christopher Frederick Jones Extra Large Image The She Oak House terminates in a large, double-height outdoor room that overlooks the yard and landscape beyond. Photo: Christopher Frederick Jones Extra Large Image One of several connections between the upper and lower floors, a small double-height space over the front entry provides surfboard storage. Photo: Christopher Frederick Jones Extra Large Image She Oak House ground-floor plan. Image: Base Architecture Extra Large Image She Oak House upper-floor plan. Image: Base Architecture Extra Large Image Along one side of the generous kitchen space is a two-story wall of louvered glass panels. Photo: Christopher Frederick Jones Extra Large Image The master bathroom of She Oak House uses a simple material palette. Photo: Christopher Frederick Jones Extra Large Image The upper floor of She Oak House is clad in a contemporary board-and-batten style, using plywood panels in place of the boards and battens of variable widths and spacings. Photo: Christopher Frederick Jones Extra Large Image   Click on thumbnail images to view full-size pictures.