BDAA 2000 NATIONAL DESIGN AWARDS

QLD PREMIER AWARD 

Queensland's Premier Award winning building designer Jeff Lee has challenged the concept of a beach house with his design of a Peregian Beach home.

Traditional Queensland beach houses are perceived as simple, modest fibro and tin shacks for lazy summer days. However, contemporary beach house designs on the Sunshine Coast have evolved into homes that are vibrant with a sophisticated casual air for all year round use." 

Mr Lee's design appears simple at first glance but, on further investigation, uses innovative design techniques to overcome site and budget challenges. `This is a house which has done away with corridors to avoid wasted space. The western two storey pavilion houses bedrooms, bathrooms and a study while the eastern single storey pavilion accommodates the living areas. The pavilions are joined by a deck which serves as the soul of the house, a space which is hard to define as indoor or outdoor but where life truly takes place. This area is the evolution of the Queensland verandah. It can be open or secured with timber plantation shutters when no one is home.". 

The design process was complicated by the location of the block. Not only did Mr Lee have to cope with a two road frontage (one of which is a major highway) but he had to be aware of the environmentally sensitive nature of the block which is adjacent to a coastal wetland. The house was designed using lightweight materials to minimise the impact on the environment. To overcome the visual and noise aspects of the highway, a walled courtyard separates the building from the road. Placing the washrooms, walk-in robes and change rooms next to the courtyard maximised the distance of bedrooms from traffic and provided sound absorbing qualities for the bedrooms.". 

Initially, Mr Lee's clients planned to use the home as a rental property but they were so pleased with the results that they decided to live in it instead. 

The article above has been extracted from the Buildings Designer Association of Australia Website.

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