Design Down Under

Anyone who has lived near the frothy seas knows that surfside weather can be hard on a home, with its salty air and frequent pounding winds. And yet—if you build it right—there may be no more restorative place for R&R. Case in point: this 699-square-foot studio in Palm Beach, Australia, with architecture, interiors, and construction by Cadence & Co. “In frontline coastal areas, the weather conditions can be extreme and punishing,” says the company’s principal Michael Kilkeary. To that end, the firm was careful to select materials and finishes that would go the distance for years to come for their clients’ jungly, steep property; concrete, copper, and hardwoods that will patina with time like a mollusk shell, plus hard-wearing fiberglass reinforced plastic stairs. “A robust palette of concrete and hardwood ensures the structure will weather the storms, sun, and salt,” says Kilkeary.

One of the largest challenges of designing this studio came with the territory, quite literally. Not only did the lot have a narrow footprint that resulted in a building 52 feet wide, but it held a well-established cheese tree (Glochidion ferdinandi), which project architect Natasha Grice notes is “a valued species” in this particular region. Cadence & Co. opted to use it as muse, roots and all. “While it presented a challenge in terms of limiting the potential siting of the studio, we chose from the outset to embrace the tree and integrate into the experience of the space,” Grice recalls. “As the photographs demonstrate, the tree is a dramatic presence from within the space, and a source of reference for the materials palette of the [design].”

The interiors feel both sleek and modernist and as if they have arisen from the sand itself, like a piece of driftwood. Their chosen finishes—such as burnished concrete, quartzite stone, and natural oak timber veneers—go a long way to achieving that effect. And similar to a pearl born from grit, beauty has arisen in the details. “The vertical timber blades on the balcony were custom-made by our carpenters using Fijian Mahogany, a plantation-managed hardwood species known for its structural integrity and stable properties,” says Grice.

Even the lighting is local: made by TOVO Lighting, which is also based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. “Beyond their visual appeal, copper lights are durable and resistant to the harsh elements of the coastal climate, offering long-term performance and requiring minimal maintenance,” Kilkeary notes. “As the copper naturally weathers, it takes on a rich organic patina, adding character but also reflecting the passage of time.”