The winda Woppa peninsula is a narrow sand spit along the northern shore of Port Stephens. From the row of dwellings that face south the views across the bay, to Tomarre and Yacaaba Headlands and out to sea, is stunning and immediate. It is also an extremely harsh environment, vulnerable to storms and wave action from the south that can erode the sand and corrosion from the salt spray that comes with winds.

The house is to be a holiday refuge for extended family for a few weeks a year, expanding to a more permanent home in retirement. It will need to accomodate this larger family group in gatherings. The house is to capture the casualness of holidays, outdoors showers after long swims, entertaining friends and family, cosy place to sit, read and ponder.

A challenge to this location is the expansive view being on the most exposed orientation. We conceived a low, sheltering form broken by a ‘lantern’ that brings in the sun and light to the centre of the house. This also frames the sky giving a vertical counterpoint to the horizontal form that frames and mirrors the southern view of the bay. Given the exposed and vulnerable location an amount of resilience is built into the design. Double brick lower walls and exposed concrete slabs ground the house while timber cladding and lining to the upper floor soften with the light.