The Balmoral Beach House

Located steps from Balmoral Beach, Sydney, the original brick bungalow built in 1929 was in serious disrepair when purchased by Alexandra of Queen Mab Design Studio and her composer husband, Hylton. As a small, dark two bedroom interwar bungalow, there was little one could find appealing about this house. Despite its obvious flaws, Alexandra was determined to find a solution that involved renovating the house as opposed to demolishing it. It took almost two years of living in the house to find a solution that was both respectful of the original structure whilst also providing improved accommodation and visual delight! Eventually, it was decided that the front half of the house would be demolished, the basement foundation excavated and that the rear rooms would be retained. This allowed for the North and East façades to be opened up to more light and design opportunities, for a studio to be added to the new lower ground level and for a first floor to be added above the original brick structure.

Elevated ten meters above the road, and adjoining a public walkway, the house was visually exposed and bore little connection to its surrounding landscape. A winding stair and pathway was introduced from the street below and through what is now a rehabilitated landscape of native trees, shrubs and grasses. This oblique angle of arrival offered an opportunity to create a layered facade which includes under surfaces, shadows and recesses. Native Spotted Gum timber was added to the underside of the ceilings and juxtaposed against charred black ironbark cladding which wraps the facades. This simple yet warm material palette anchored the house within the surrounding landscape of native red Angophora trees. The inclusion of a simple sliding timber screen provides visual privacy as well as protection from the harsh Australian sun. At night this screen allows the house to act as a lantern perched on the hill.

Although the original 1930’s bungalow was not a heritage listed building, many of the original fittings and fixtures have been reused, allowing the house to retain a memory of its past. Stain glass windows have been restored and repurposed, the original front door reinstalled and even a basin re-enamelled and put back into the original bathroom.

As a family of artists and musicians, the layout of the house is driven by the placement of the piano. The piano acts as a pivot for social interactions and activity radiates from this point. The internal deck functions as an overflow space for seating when concerts are given. Bunkette seating wraps the living area so more people can be added to the audience when required.

The Balmoral Beach House is an unfussy response to a challenging site. It is a re-imagination of the suburban home as a contextually appropriate dwelling layered with texture and time and which speaks to its local context of the beach, the nature reserve opposite the house, and its past as a small interwar bungalow.