Shoreham Renovation

This renovation of a Col Bandy beach shack promotes the value of the ‘invisible architect’. It is a surgical renovation that extends the building’s lifespan without taking away the original design legacy.

Bandy, who was known for his structural ingenuity and environmental approach to design, had likened the building to an ‘akubra’ with a roofline “like the brim of a well worn hat”. Our client (the original owners) saw it more like “a tent with it’s flaps open”, and to us these readings reveal something nuanced about the original design intent. A strong connection to the outdoors is obvious, but perhaps less obviously is a loose-fit, no-fuss attitude where form is closely tied to environment and shelter. It’s derived out of functionality, and isn’t more than it needs to be (like a tent or a hat).

We took this approach to renovating - carefully reading and applying the rules, proportions and details of the existing building, understanding materiality, and exercising restraint. New building elements subtly distinguish themselves from the original, but with a level of anonymity. It’s a building that works hard to retain it’s authorship.