Beaconsfield House

2021 National Architecture Awards: Residential - HOUSES (ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS)

Beaconsfield House | Simon Pendal Architect

Traditional Land Owners: The Whadjuk People of the Nyoongar Nation

The 1940’s worker’s cottage has been given new life and extended – stripped-back to its timber frame, jarrah floor and front verandah. Only subtle changes in plan were made to the cottage so that its integrity was maintained. It has been treated on its merits as thin, modest and direct. There is beauty in its basic quality.

The extension is best described as a series of cave-like chambers made from recycled brickwork. It feels weighty and its surfaces rustic. Light from above enters in a carefully orchestrated sequence giving the interior a soft glow and a sense of slow discovery. The final room in the sequence – the main bedroom – is an intense moment of climax. This room is more compressed than the others and is coloured in shades of light blue, indigo and deep bottle-green using lime-based paints and natural pigments. This house feels like a secret world in the suburbs.

Client perspective:
How does the design benefit the way you live/work/play/operate/educate/other?

“Living in the house that Simon designed has changed the way we live, enhancing our quality of life on a daily basis. Each space is a pleasure to rest, work or play in. We often reflect that we feel that we are living in a functional sculpture where materials, space and light beautifully coalesce. Simon was attuned to our needs and engaged us very sensitively in the design process. Simon was also unfailingly professional in his communications with us at all stages of the design and building process.”