Corymbia: A New Beach House with A Series of Large Hardwood Doors and Light-Filled Living Spaces

Corymbia is a unique house to relax and retreat on idyllic North Stradbroke Island, Queensland, Australia. This new beach house is designed by Paul Butterworth Architect with a brief from clients, Margaret and Nick, that need a discrete island antidote to their family’s busy lives. This house has a series of large hardwood doors and also voluminous light-filled living spaces for gathering family and friends.

Design

The architect designs this house as a robust bare-foot beach house with unique indoor/outdoor bathing spaces, cozy plywood-lined bedrooms, comfortable reading nooks, and also voluminous light-filled living spaces for gathering friends and family. This new beach house is a physical and ideological retreat for celebrating cooking, bathing, and also creating awesome memories.

Planting

The name of “Corymbia” comes from the species of beautiful flowering tree planted by Nick and Margaret’s extended family that welcomes visitors to the site long ago. The new dwelling is discrete once the guests pass through the stone-walled entry arbor. This new dwelling is tucked into the site to the surrounding landscape in deference. Dense planting can obscure the home with the rustic stone walls and it will mature in time.

Features

Corymbia is a new beach house with some features, including a series of large hardwood doors that stack and slide behind the external wall. These doors can reveal a generous double-height central living deck that described by the architect as “The lungs of the house”. The mundane domestic rituals are heightened traditionally and treated uniquely to Straddie’s natural beauty via large skylights and also mirrored reflections.

Materials

The textures, colors, and materials reference the fibrous cement cladding of vernacular shacks and bush setting in the abstracted with a familiar composition. The hardwood plywood cabinetry, subtle lighting, an aged tapware can add a refined richness to enhance domestic rituals like washing, bathing, and cooking. This house is well-made by local hands to be loved and durable for generations and it is delivered under budget.