The Fingal House— Considered Evolution of a Classic Beach House

Fingal House

Nestled in the vibrant fishing community of Fingal, this modest beach house has been reimagined to address modern climate challenges while creating a spacious and functional home for a growing family.

The original house has been raised to avoid flood waters, and repositioned over a warm brick screen wall that neatly contains the brick and landscape entry sequence. These entry stairs provide a natural perch to watch kids on the lawn, a place to engage with neighbours or take in the breezes and views to the local waterhole across the road. This is a modest gesture that strongly sets an agenda of neighbourhood engagement. 

A new addition has been added to the west including a garage, home office and living spaces.

These areas sensitively relate to the original house through scale, materials and form. They don’t pretend to be original but sit in a complementary way, with a glazed link playfully connecting the new elements to the original structure.

The design represents a considered and sustainable way to repurpose an existing house, while allowing it to better respond to both the changing needs of its owners and the dynamic coastal environment upon which it is built.