Cake House / Alexander Symes Architect

closed

The programming of the house has remained similar, with ocean ocean-facing kitchen and living upstairs and bedrooms below. A landscape berm has been built around the lower level to protect the rooms from increasing storm surges, acting as a hind sand dune. The diamond entry and lobby, anchoring the two levels, has been retained and upgraded. The reinstated 'kite' roof has been sharpened and lightly sails over the internal spaces. The light roof form is grounded by the recycled hardwood and carbon-neutral concrete formed from the original aluminum cladding.Cake House has been upgraded to incorporate Passive House Enerphit principles, including high insulation, no thermal bridges, low air infiltration, high-performance glazing, and a heat recovery ventilation system. However, ultimately, it has been designed to operate as a passive mixed-mode beach shack, destined to be robust against its extreme context and an intensifying climate. It operates as 100% electric and Net Zero energy use (-7,000 kWh/yr back to the grid) with an onsite PV system.Text description provided by the architects.The original structure on site was affectionately known as 'Cake House' by the local community. Its sharp, kite-like shape provided the coastal town of Mollymook with an icon and a way-finding point for surfers. Respecting and upgrading this iconic shape became the overarching concept for the project. Additionally, a high-performance envelope, durability, and protection from storm surges were also emphasised.