A masterpiece cast in concrete

20 Sep 2022

Humphrey Homes Architect Designed Residence City Beach

A collaboration made in architectural heaven, this sleek and stylish custom build in City Beach was destined to be a striking masterpiece in construction and design.

Completed in September, the five-bedroom, three-bathroom home was built by Humphrey Homes for a commercial architect.

“The client collaborated with Humphrey Homes’ in-house architect on its design,” Humphrey Homes Owner and Director Dean Humphrey said. “The brief was to design a generous five-bedroom family home that would maximise the corner block’s ocean and north-facing views while still providing protection for the west-facing rooms, especially in summer.”

Making a strong first impression, the facade highlights the careful attention to detail paid to the home’s design, with rammed concrete showcasing an industrial aesthetic from the outset.

“The rammed concrete walls that anchor the front of the home ensure privacy from the street, while the series of long windows offer glimpses of what’s to come,” Mr Humphrey said.

“The facade introduces materials that are used throughout the home, including roasted peat timber, steel and extensive glazing.

“The imposing 3.3m-tall front door, custom made from burnt peat timber, is flanked by two windows offering a sneak peek inside.”

Entering the home, guests will be awed by the dramatic interplay between light and volume.

Mr Humphrey said in response to the design brief, Humphrey Homes created two interconnecting pavilions joined by a central circulation gallery soaring to 6m high at the entry.

“The pavilions envelop the north-facing outdoor living and entertaining areas while capturing views to the ocean from the upper floors,” he said.

“They are cocooned inside protective layers, which safeguard the residence from the beachside elements and offer an added privacy buffer from the street.

“Perforated mesh screens also strategically sit around the exterior of the home above a timber and steel arbour. This will support a deciduous vine, which will create further screening to filter the summer sun.”

Mr Humphrey said the zoning and separation of the home was a central driver of the design.

“The ground floor is dedicated to the public living areas – the kitchen and scullery, the living and dining room, a formal lounge and a children’s activity room – all wrapping around the outdoor living area and garden,” he said. “There is also a guest suite, a powder room and a laundry on the lower level.

“Upstairs is devoted to the quieter areas, including the master suite, the bedrooms, the bathrooms, a study and a third lounge area.”

To ensure privacy, the parents’ retreat is in a separate pavilion to the minor bedrooms.

“The master suite is designed to capture west-facing ocean and garden views – floor-to-ceiling windows join seamlessly to form the northern and western walls of the main bedroom, allowing the owners to wake up to ocean views from their bed,” Mr Humphrey said. “It features twin vanities with an integrated dressing table, a freestanding bathtub and a walk-in shower room.

“The dressing room boasts custom cabinetry with solid brass handles with a bronze finish.”

Tempered by warm wood accents, the home’s monochromatic theme exudes a chic style.

“Natural stone and timbers have been used throughout to bring the warmth of nature inside,” Mr Humphrey said. “The weight and strength of the home is designed to balance the materiality of the clients’ existing timber furniture, which features strong, moody tones and elements.

“With a sleek, minimalist feel to the home, robust materials have been chosen to complement the robust furniture.”

Sustainability was also front of mind, with the custom build’s design focusing on thermal performance.

“It features double glazing throughout and, like all our homes, it will undergo a blower door test to assess air leakage, ensuring it is as energy-efficient as possible,” Mr Humphrey said.

Want to know more? Learn more about this City Beach residence, the benefits of having a combined architect/builder, see what others are saying on our testimonials page or contact us today.

This article originally appeared in The West Australian's New Homes liftout on September 17, 2022.