PROJECTS
(^) // BUILDING
14: DESIGN OCEAN SHORES CHIPBOARD HOUSE
LOCATION OCEAN SHORES, NSW
Built in the leafy seaside suburb of Ocean
Shores in NSW, the Chipboard House is a
testament to a simple and straightforward
aesthetic that achieves a fuss-free lifestyle.
Perhaps because of the deceptively
simple design, the build was somewhat
straightforward. Project-managed by the
homeowner, this house was constructed on a
diminutive 140-square-metre sloping site —
half the size of the average Australian home
— to produce a dwelling with a tiny footprint.
An internal deck runs along the length of the
wedge-shaped house, with all the amenities
located along the back wall — a budget-
and-builder-friendly design consideration.
Completed in a relatively short time frame
of just one year, the build progressed fairly
smoothly, with the frame and mezzanine
level up inside of just two months. User-
friendly building materials contributed to
the quickness of the build. Chipboard was
used to construct the walls and the kitchen,
and Ampelite sheets were used on the roof,
combining to create a warm environment that
can withstand the rigours of family life.
Architectural Design A-CH (a- ch.com.au)
Builder SJ Reynolds Constructions
(sjrconstruct.com)
Photography Nick Wilson
15: DESIGN STILT HOUSE
LOCATION PUKERUA BAY, NORTH ISLAND NZ
Built on a modest budget of $165,000, this
family beach house sits on the high water
mark in an area renowned for ferocious storms
and surging tides. “It is also in a tsunami zone,
it’s a little bit unstable and is susceptible to
the odd shake or two,” says homeowner and
architect Guy Marriage. To mitigate these
challenges, the home was built on a platform,
supported by dozens of piles fi ve metres above
the current sea level. To combat the harsh
coastal conditions, the materials chosen for
construction were carefully considered. The
cladding is corrugated aluminium and the
interior is all plywood. Physical construction
was undertaken by family and friends due to
the minimal budget, with a great deal of help
donated by neighbour Jonny Clark, who is
also a carpenter. Contributing to the diffi culty
of the build was the fact that there was no
direct road access, which meant craning in
prefabricated framing was not an option. The
entire superstructure was therefore built piece
by piece onsite. As the walls went up, the
build process become quite organic. Having
an architect involved in the process meant the
family could tweak the project as they went,
putting in a bigger window here and an extra
door there. The end result is an ode to the
classic Kiwi bach.
Architectural Design Guy Marriage,
First Light Studio (fi rstlightstudio.co.nz)
Builder Jonny Clark ([email protected])
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