Beach Front Beauty

How do you turn your old holiday shack into an impressive beachside home? With clever design, innovative materials and amazing window systems.

Colin Irwin of BHI Architects was approached by his clients to transform their little fibro beach cottage into an impressive architecturally designed home which would accommodate the needs of their growing family and aspirations for a truly unique coastal living space.

There were a number of key requirements governing the design, an imaginative layout was required to ensure all the client’s needs were met in terms of views to the coast, spatial requirements and privacy.

The residence is located at Callala Bay, one of the gems of the NSW Coast, the beach front position called for a design which soaked up the spectacular costal views. All living spaces, including an open plan kitchen, dining and lounge area incorporate large expanses of glazing to maximise views, natural light and ventilation.

Hanlon Windows Australia are well regarded as the leading window and door manufacturer in the region. Their expertise was called upon to assist in creating the perfect window and door specification for the project.

“We worked closely with the project architect Colin Irwin and builder Alan Porteous of Alcan Constructions to achieve an ideal combination of products to deliver all the functional requirements clients were looking for. Being a beach front location the weather performance of the systems selected is highly important. All Vantage and Elevate™ products are tested in accordance with Australian standards and deliver exceptional wind and water penetration results. These systems are well and truly capable of withstanding the harsh environmental conditions a costal application can present”.

The window and door systems selected for the project included Series 502 Residential Sliding windows, Series 704 Commercial Sliding doors, Series 542 Residential Stacking doors and Series 525 Glass Louvre windows.

Large panel stacking and sliding doors were used throughout the project to maximise the coastal views. Floor to ceiling Louvre windows used in the primary living spaces create an airy, spacious feeling and set the scene for a beach inspired dwelling. These systems in conjunction with carefully selected external cladding and clever light weight construction work to create a relaxed modern style which blends with the surroundings.

Hardware selection was also an important consideration for the project “to guarantee the long term operability of the window and door systems used in the project it was essential to select hardware capable of withstanding the costal environment”.

AWS offer a range of hardware solutions for costal applications, including the ICON 316 grade stainless steel range which was used on this project. The bold impressive handles look sensational, give sleek contemporary feel and are fit for coastal applications.

Hanlon’s have worked with Colin Irwin and many other local architects for a number of years. The showroom provides an ideal location for clients to experience the Vantage and Elevate™ window and door systems and a team of experienced consultants are available to work closely with clients to ensure the best possible outcome for their project is achieved.