Used as an entrance vestibule, the courtyard also connects the four zones the house is divided into: a living and dining area, master bedroom, children/guest wing, and bathroom. With no internal connection between these zones, family members and guests have to pass through the central space which, in effect, “supports a nuanced social experience in much the same way a cloister traditionally works” as the architects explain. The pinwheel configuration also evokes a sense of always being together without sacrificing the need for privacy, offering seclusion in the separate zones but also facilitating encounters either in an organised or a perchance way.

In combination with a minimalist interior design, the extensive use of timber, both for building fabric and furniture, imbues the house with a Nordic aesthetic. Sage and grey-painted timber wall cladding complement natural wood finishes, while stone floor tiles, rattan carpets, cotton fabrics and leather textures complete the subdued palette of natural materials and earthy hues. Sloping timber-clad ceilings that reflect the building’s steep terrain echo the morphology of the coastline through their arched shape, thereby deepening the bond between the house and the natural landscape. With plenty of places to gather around, nooks to retreat to, and views to look out onto, Sandy Point House unassumingly embodies the family’s “idealised coastal experience”.