Beachside house, resulting in a secure concrete retreat.
Simon and Sarah Younger could have been forgiven for failing to find the silver lining when, in 2013, they watched their family retreat at Dunalley on the east coast of Tasmania become engulfed by bushfires. However, the couple and their two young sons chose to see the devastation of their 70s brick house as an opportunity. Three years on, a breathtaking, mid-century-style beach house rises up from the coastal site, an ode to concrete, but also to the immense power of nature. This resurrection is the brainchild of architect Stuart Tanner who saw the potential in the challenge. How did the project come about? Sarah Younger: Although losing our house was traumatic, we never really dwelled on what was lost, concentrating instead on how lucky we were to be safe. We began designing the new house as part of the healing process. We love the look of concrete and decided long before the fire that if we ever wanted to rebuild it was the medium we would use. We were inspired by the mid-century modern look. The safety and security benefits of concrete were an added bonus. What were some of the challenges? Stuart Tanner: It was an extraordinary beginning to a project, to go to what would normally have been a beautiful coastal bush site, and see a place that had been completely scorched by flames, transformed into a moonscape. What was the concept? ST: I have always been interested in the idea of a solid mass almost – but not quite – touching the ground. It creates an appealing tension between the building and the landscape. How do you use the space? SY: We wanted to be able to open the house up with no clear distinction between inside and out and, when entertaining, to use as much of the house and its surroundings as possible. What makes this project successful in its rural context? ST: Trying to capture the narrative of the building, and the experiences that can be had in it, is as important as the architecture itself. stuarttannerarchitects.com.au