Terra Casa Byron Bay

Situated within walking distance to Tallow’s Beach, Terra Casa Byron Bay is all about embracing sustainability within a coastal context. Being the client's second project to be completed with Davis Architects, all parties had a strong understanding and working relationship from the outset. The brief called for a 4 bedroom home which featured indoor-outdoor living, entertaining spaces and pool, kids TV and study zones, privacy for parents and a self-contained studio for guests / holiday rental. Sunlight, especially into the kitchen was also a high priority.

A major bonus to the site is that it backs onto a private reserve. In approaching the design Davis Architects capitalised upon this feature, knowing they could visually extend the outdoor living areas and general feeling of space by “borrowing” from the landscape beyond. However, the south-facing orientation presented a design problem - ie how to allow winter sun to enter into the plan. The solution was to create an extended double-height roof-line to invite an abundance of winter morning sun into the upper-level bedrooms plus lower-level living, whilst also providing shelter for the outdoor entertaining zones. Further, the inclusion of a large void into the heart of the design draws additional winter sun deep into the kitchen and internal living spaces.

The use of sustainable materials was high on their client's agenda and Davis Architects were excited when the use of Hempcrete was proposed for the wall structures. The result was so successful the main internal “party” wall between the entrance hallway and studio was left un-rendered. The soft colour and "strata-like" texture that remains has become a major feature and talking point of the home. The extensive use of sustainably sourced hardwood timbers and non-toxic paint throughout were further eco-friendly options embraced by the clients. Passive indoor-outdoor airflow together with the slab-on-ground limits the need for air-conditioning or heating, allowing the house to be warm in winter yet cool in summer.

A self-contained studio sits cleverly alongside the main residence without disruption to the overall form, generating income via holiday rental or as a private space for guests.

The end result is a spacious, light-filled home with graceful lines and warm earthy textures, sitting in perfect harmony within its beach-side Byron Bay location.