The brief was to turn the mid-century beach shack into a multi-generational beach house that would be used by Gai and Peter most weekends and their three adult offspring, and their families, for years to come. With a growing albeit close family, providing a place where everyone can comfortably come together for family holidays was important. They wanted it to be environmentally friendly, energy efficient and high performance, but retain the charm of the original shack.

The inspiration for the new addition is the original mid-century verandah, a wonderfully unique space with a pitched roof framing views of trees and drawing in winter sun. It was open air, with only fly screens spanning between the slender structure, drawing in cooling summer breezes.

It just said ‘beach house’ and walking in, you couldn’t help but relax. It was a welcoming embrace, as you kick off your shoes and the holiday begins. It wasn’t heritage and didn’t have to be retained, but it was a cool little piece of the modest, but adventurous, beach shack vernacular of the Mornington Peninsula. We wanted the spirit of the nostalgic beach holidays of previous generations to pervade the new part of the house and be enjoyed for years to come.

The new addition is inspired by the original in terms of form architecturally and informality of living. The verandah’s pitched roof form is replicated in the new rear addition but lengthened and heightened to frame views of trees, draw in winter sun and make a grand space for large groups of family members to gather. Raking down dramatically on the sides it also makes cosy informal spaces to gather round the fire, play, chat, or simply relax on your own.

The house has two distinct wings. The original was renovated to become a wing for adult off-spring and their kids. The addition includes a new first floor containing the main bedroom/retreat for Gai and Peter. A place to occasionally escape the chaos have your own space. In the treetops and bathed in morning light, it is a sanctuary for the grandparents.

The two wings come together in the new living room, big enough for large groups but also intimate for when its just Gai and Peter there. The house can expand and contract, the kids’ wing can be shut off when not needed, effectively leaving a small two storey, one bedroom house for Gai and Peter to occupy energy efficiently.

The house is all electric in operation. Windows are placed to bring in the prevailing cooling southerly breezes and warming winter sun.
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“We can’t praise highly enough Ben Callery and Mil Hindson, at Ben Callery Architects in Northcote, Melbourne (Naarm).

The brief we gave them was not simple. We wanted a hybrid holiday-house, in three senses of the word. First, we wanted it to function as a beach house for the two of us and for a family that now stretches to four generations, who like to holiday together. Second, we wanted a modern house that echoed and was resonant with the house we bought more than a decade ago, as represented by the latter’s relaxed 1960’s verandah and spacious front room. And third, we wanted a functional house, there to serve a purpose, but which was a pleasure to walk through, with a variety of pleasing views inside the house and outside to the garden.

We’ve now holidayed in what Ben calls the verandah house for more than a year and can report that all this has been achieved and much more. Just as importantly, the design process was a pleasure—an adventure in the best sense of the word.

Ben was willing to listen to what we wanted and to bring us into and make us feel part of the design process, while bringing to the house his outstanding sense of space, light, and design. And when it came to managing the building process and furnishing the house, there was Mil—always organised, competent, and with an amazing sense of style. Do we recommend them? “Yes! They’re great!” If the opportunity arose would we do it again?—"You bet!” “

- Peter & Gai