Seeley Architects an eco-conscious design-based studio in Australia have designed the magnificent Ingoldsby House. This contemporary house is located along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road, Australia. Looking as if it belongs amongst the coastal vegetation, the Ingoldsby House is a family holiday retreat that sensitively responses to its coastal site.
This contemporary house inspired by its amazing coastal location, with a design borne from a thorough and deep-seated understanding of the locality, the physical harshness of its environment, with a result that says it is ‘right for its place’.
The core idea for the house sprung from the simple piers and wharfs that dot this coastal region of Victoria. The result is a building that utilises a robust post and beam structure that explores the contradiction between mass and void, substantial and fragile, where rough-hewn stone and timbers contrast against the delicate qualities of glass.
The house is divided into two zones: ‘entertaining’ and ‘private’. Stepping through the front door, a large billiard room is located to the left looking onto the street. Hidden down a corridor to the right are the children and guest bedrooms.
Moving upstairs, the living/kitchen space is warm and inviting. A selection of honey-coloured timbers, Australian limestone, large exposed timber posts and beams and indirect lighting bring this space to life. Large glazed sliding doors and louvres capture the stunning seaside view and breezes. As a dual benefit, they open up the living areas to a semi enclosable deck, aiding to blur the boundary between the interior and the exterior.
The western wings upstairs and down, form the introverted zones of this house. They comprise of five bedrooms and adjoining bathrooms that are remote from the main living areas. These two forms are connected but offset from one another, leading most to underestimate the size of this substantial house.
All efforts have been made to help ameliorate the impact of this dwelling on the environment: extensive use of recycled timbers, long-lasting materials, minimal removal of vegetation, use of water storage tanks and a building that gestures strongly towards this new world of low energy use.
The house contributes to the architectural culture of the Victorian coast, in particular a relaxed coastal experience. The design successfully captures the romantic Australian notion of coastal living: of robust structures, weathered materials and breezy connections to the outdoors. Images courtesy of Shannon McGrath.
