Located in the beachside suburb of Jan Juc in Victoria, the Boulevard Beach House designed by Zen Architects is a coastal home that references the subtle, sophisticated forms and practical, functional spaces to create something entirely new yet surprisingly familiar. This dwelling is designed to capture the sun whilst providing shelter from the extreme weather of Bass Strait that rolls in and collides with the cliffs of the surf beach just across the road. If that sounds like your cuppa joe, let’s take a closer look…
“By utilising a similar footprint to the original house, we were able to retain the existing garden including several mature trees delivering a strong connection to its local environment. The stained cypress pine weatherboard cladding is designed to age gracefully to a silver gray embedding the house within the already established landscape.” – Zen Architects
Internally, a beautiful ensemble of simple but refined choice of materials was utilised for robust longevity, low maintenance, and recyclability. The recycled timber and local hardwood timber floors turned the aesthetic of the whole home to be very calm and subtle with a perfect amount of warmth which echoes the surrounding native landscape. The choice of materials led the team to establish the project’s design identity in detail and character rather than the “grand architectural gesture”.
The interiors reflect that of a true beach home and are light, relaxed with a subtle coastal touch. White, timber and subtle texture are seen throughout but the true hero within the home is the amount of light that fills the space and the connection from the outdoors that beautifully embraces the subtle but sophisticated interiors.
“A restrained, natural material palette of recycled timber joinery, local hardwood timber floors and goats’ wool carpet create warm and inviting interiors offering a sense of being in and surrounded by the natural world.” – Zen Architects
With a timeless interior and functional layout, Boulevard Beach House by Zen Architects is much more than a typical coastal dwelling. This is a home anyone would definitely leave the city for!
House Project: Boulevard Beach House
Architect: Zen Architects
Location: Jan Juc, Victoria
Type: Renovation
Photographer: Gorta Yuuki
