alba clovelly

A short barefoot walk to Clovelly Beach, Alba embraces its coastal location through warm and natural materials, and bright generous spaces open to the outdoors. Facing the sunrise from which the project draws its name, the project renews a home for a family enthusiastic about surfing at the nearby bay. A material palette of pale masonry and timber echoes the project’s coastal site, whilst a robust expression of elements recalls the essential simplicity of visits to the beach. Drawing on the tradition of sheltered portico spaces; open yet offering shade and respite from the elements, deep undercover areas on both ground and first floor soften the distinction between indoor and outdoors.

To bring softness to the masonry elements of the building, our studio developed custom-shaped bricks specifically for the project, made by traditional craft brick-makers Krause Bricks. A meeting of traditional craft alongside modern construction methods, the result is a tactile materiality that flows from interior to exterior, rising up to form the first floor balustrade, unifying the façade of the home. The pale bricks are set against blackbutt timber elements, whilst a terrazzo concrete floor unifies the living spaces. Relocating the staircase around a central core and raising the floor level within the rear portion, created the opportunity for much more generous, light-filled living spaces - open to the garden and the morning sunrise.