Pastime Lucinda Mclean This paper will present ongoing research into post war beach houses and the settlements between Somers and Flinders on Westernport Bay, focusing on the everyday beach house rather than the one-off, architect designed house. 3RVW ZDU EHDFK KRXVHV DUH JHQHUDOO\ VPDOO ZLWK HI¿FLHQW SODQV DQG VWUXFWXUH SURYLGLQJ PLQLPDO DQG ÀH[LEOH DFFRPPRGDWLRQ IRU ÀXFWXDWLQJ IDPLO\ DQG YLVLWRU QXPEHUV DQG XQ SURJUDPPHG LQWHULRU DQG exterior spaces allowing for a range of leisure activities. Some houses are architect designed project homes or kit homes, sometimes having had some architectural input to modify or site a standard plan. Many houses have grown in an accumulative manner over time in response to changing family activities and particular site qualities. Siting of houses is often in relation to the landscape where the house is part of an extending landscape, in an unfenced lot, amongst vegetation continuous across lots, and with ambiguous and multiple entry points from external spaces into the house. Research includes detailed case studies of individual houses, with the preparation of measured drawings of the house and site, the recording of the history of the house, and analysis of the changing use of the house and site over time. From these case studies, observations of the relationship between the house and extending landscape have been studied in detail to determine the very particular spatial qualities of these houses and beach side settlements. In addition to the recognition and recording of the architectural, historical and cultural value of these houses, the research aims to establish an understanding of the house as an inhabitation and stewardship of landscape, where leisure is productive rather than consumptive. This is vital if we are to propose alternatives to the unsustainable development and destruction of the fragile coastal environment seen in recent years, and to provide possibilities for engaged leisure time, particularly for the aged population. *This paper has been blind refereed by academic peers appointed by the conference committe according to DEST standards.
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SITE PLAN
Pastime: Post-war Beach Houses /XFLQGD 0F/HDQ
Case study - Wirilda Court house, Somers Bridget Basham
The Wirilda Court house, known as the 'Boat House', was built in 1960 by the Thiele family. The Boat House gets its name from the two life savers that hang from the front balcony. 7KHVH UHIOHFW WKH RZQHU·V DIILQLW\ ZLWK ERDWLQJ DQG DUH LQVFULEHG ZLWK WKH ZRUG ¶,QDOLQJD· ,W was the first house in Wirilda Court, which was in those days, a largely unvegetated ODQGVFDSH H[SRVHG WR WKH HOHPHQWV ,W LV SDUW RI WKH %DQNVLD (VWDWH ZKLFK ZDV VXEGLYLGHG thirty years prior, but not sold until much later. 7KH 7KLHOHV OLYHG LQ (DVW 0DOYHUQ 0HOERXUQH DQG IUHTXHQWO\ YLVLWHG WKHLU EHDFK house. They had hoped to pass the house down on to their three children. When this didn't ORRN YLDEOH WKH\ SXW WKH %RDW +RXVH XS IRU VDOH ,W ZDV VROG WR WKH %DWH IDPLO\ LQ 7KH KRXVH LV RULHQWDWHG WR IDFH WKH VWUHHW ZKLFK LV SDUDOOHO WR WKH FRDVW ,W LV JHQHURXVO\ VHW back from the road to take advantage of views to the ocean from interior living spaces and the balcony. Rex Thiele was an engineer by trade, and chose to rotate the rear arm of his house as a way of shielding the cold, strong south-westerly winds from an outdoor deck area to the north east. This gesture is not clearly visible from the street owing to the incline of the site and surrounding planting. The house is double storey facing the street, yet single storey towards the rear of the site. The majority of established trees are planted at the sides of the house. These were possibly planted when the adjacent houses were built, as a way of maintaining privacy from within the Boat House. The trees are mostly Australian natives, including many EHDXWLIXO JXPV ([FOXGLQJ D ZHGJH WR WKH ZHVW RI WKH KRXVH WKH VLWH LV QRW GHQVHO\ SODQWHG so the Boat House appears to sit partly submerged in a gently sloping, green hill. Perimeter fences are used only to the rear and west of the property, and these wire fences do not have a strong visual impact. Two sets of white gates separate the front and back yards, however, these are permanently left open, maintaining the sense of a continuous landscape. The Boat House is sited in the middle of its site. Circulation from the front yard to the back, is facilitated through the house by way of stairs. One arrives at the house after passing under the main living space, and taking a full flight of stairs to the back deck. A door at the top of these stairs, allows access into the house. The undercroft is generous enough to accommodate two parked cars. This type of arrangement is very common amongst beach houses, owing to a shared desire of attaining ocean views, without needing two storeys dedicated to accommodation. Alternatively, the house could be entered by passing up along its side to the west to a ramp. This takes you to the balcony at the front of the house, a storey above where your approach began. This access is not used very often, as it is awkward to get to and in dis-repair after years of being open to the elements. Two sets of double doors allow you access from the front balcony into the living/ dinning room. This is wide and light-filled with IORRU WR FHLOLQJ JODVV WR WKH QRUWK DQG VRXWK ZDOOV , EHOLHYH WKDW WKLV ZDV LQWHQGHG WR EH WKH main point of entry, however the secondary entry is more commonly used. 7KH UHDU GHFN LV WKH RWKHU VLJQLILFDQW DUHD DGMRLQLQJ WKH KRXVH ,W LV DW WKH VDPH OHYHO DV WKH LQWHULRU VSDFH ZKLFK SXWV LW KLJKHU WKDQ WKH VXUURXQGLQJ ODQGVFDSH ,W LV ZDOOHG RQ LWV perimeter, except for an opening allowing access to the garden. The barbecue has a substantial presence on the deck, which has been incorporated into the low perimeter wall.
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EAST ELEVATION
Diagram of the entry sequence through the undercroft, up the stairs and into the house, arriving to face the ocean.
This panorama reveals the gentle slope of the site.
SOUTH ELEVATION
The only addition may have been a third bedroom at the end of the rotated arm. This is indicated in the plan configuration as-well-as from a change in the exterior wall cladding.
WEST ELEVATION
The kitchen.
The corridor.
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South view of house and entry through the under croft space.
SITE PLAN The barbeque built into the perimeter wall of the deck.
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Pastime: Post-war Beach Houses Lucinda McLean
Case study - Bayview Road house, Merricks Beach Ralf Rehak
THE SHACK
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Fondly remembered by all the Chadwicks, the shack often housed up to eight people on weekends during summer. Built from the red box timber from DQ ROG FKLFNHQ EDUQ LW ZDV DUUDQJHG ZLWK D NLWFKHQHWWH DQG 1HOO¡V EHG RQ WKH southern side, screened off when necessary to double bunks on the northern side. Cooking and washing was done outside on an acquired army stove and an outhouse toilet and laundry was built at the same time as the shack. In WKRVH GD\V WKH œ3DQ +DQGOHU¡ ZRXOG FRPH DURXQG DW WKH HQG RI HDFK GD\ WR take the refuse away. The shack allowed for weekend recreation and holidays from the busy and strenuous working of two large scale fruit orchards near Donvale.
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After planning legislation in 1952, requiring shacks to remain only if accompanying a house, Nell then proceded to arrange for the building of the main house in 1956.
View of entrance to the Shack.
View of west elevation and house in background.
Photo. Ralf Rehak
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THE HOUSE
HISTORICAL COMPARISONS, 1950 - 2005
œ1DUDQJ¡ ZDV EXLOW LQ 0UV 1HOO &KDGZLFN ERUQ LQ LQ 0HOERXUQH and still the current owner, originally bought two blocks, and then a third in 1949 for £70 each. Nell employed an architect to design the house, but directed the construction of the house herself. The structure is a timber frame, clad with fibrous cement sheet and Oregon strapping. The roof is iron sheeting. The interior walls are clad with timber. Assisting the builder often involved most of the Chadwick family on weekends during construction.
These photographs combine
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scans of original black & white, WDNHQ EHWZHHQ WKH ODWH ¡V DQG ¡V DQG UHFHQW SKRWR graphs taken by Ralf Rehak. Many thanks to Baden and Peter Chadwick for locating the originals.
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VIEWS
The two storey house was positioned high and to the back of the block and oriented to the southeast to gain maximum views to the sea. At the time, the native trees did not block the view to the bay and the large pines, now on the headland did not exist. The position of the entrance at the rear of the building was for the pragmatic reason of keeping the notorious southerly wind out. This was a particular request from a family member, who was not well at the time. The house was built with no running water or electricity, as were the other twelve houses at that time in Merricks Beach. The kitchen still houses the original ice chest, and island fireplace which originally housed a slow combusWLRQ VWRYH IRU WKH NLWFKHQ 7KH ILUHSODFH DW 1HOO¡V UHTXHVW ZDV SODFHG LQ WKH corner of the brickwork - quite a modern idea, condusive to gatherings around WKH ILUH $ œZDVK URRP¡ ZKLFK GRXEOHG DV D VKRZHU ZDV DGGHG WR WKH KRXVH LQ WKH ODWH ¡V 8S XQWLO WKLV WLPH WKH VKRZHU KDG EHHQ DQ RXWVLGH PHWDO shower bucket.
View from Bayview Road - late 1950’s.
Same view taken 2005
Views from level one of the house - Image on the left mid - late 1960’s Right: same view taken 2005
CIRCULATION
Left: Lenore Chadwick around 1950, standing on the steps of the shack. Right : from left; Michelle, Trevor -brother of Lenore, His partner Arwon and Mary Chadwick.
VEGETATION LEGEND View of island fireplace & kitchen from dining / living room
photo: Ralf Rehak
Before the trees blocked the view, the upstairs was favored as a living room, while downstairs doubled as both dining and living. After the view was blocked by the growing trees, the upstairs program changed from living area to bedroom.
SITE PLAN
The entrance. - mid 1960’s and Right, in 2005. Note the change in ground level to the door.
Left: Inside the living room, showing both the view and the corner fireplace. Right: 2005 Note the original furniture still in good condition.
Photo’s Ralf Rehak 2005 & Original B&W, courtesy Baden Chadwick - personal archive
Lucinda McLean established NMBW Architecture Studio in 1997. The work of the practice currently includes single family houses, multiple housing as well as urban design work. Lucinda combines practice based research with teaching in the School of Architecture, RMIT University. Undergraduate studies were undertaken at the University of Melbourne and post graduate studies at the Staedelschule, Frankfurt am Main, Germany reHousing, Melbourne 2006
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