Casuarina Beach House 2

Overview

Set in the leafy southern end of Casuarina Beach, this home leans into natural, raw materiality — a build where the material palette did as much heavy lifting as the architecture itself. Corten steel cladding features prominently, chosen for its distinctive rusted patina that develops and matures over time. Installing Corten correctly meant accounting for that ongoing oxidation process from the outset — protecting adjacent surfaces and finishes from staining during the weathering period, and detailing fixings to handle the material's natural movement and surface changes.

Materials & Craft

• — Cedar shiplap cladding wraps much of the home's other elevations, offering a warm contrast to the Corten and requiring careful selection and sealing to perform well so close to the coast. Paired with full-height glass louvres throughout, the home's envelope needed precise coordination between cladding, framing, and glazing trades to keep sightlines clean and weatherproofing tight.
• — Internally, the material story continues with natural clay paint finishes — a breathable, low-VOC option that needed different surface prep and application techniques compared to standard paint systems. DMK birch plywood was used throughout for joinery, bringing a consistent, natural timber tone to cabinetry and built-ins, while polished concrete floors run seamlessly from inside to the outdoor entertaining areas, reinforcing the connection between the two.
• — Outside, a glass-tiled pool and water feature wall, with cascading spouts set into a textured stone-clad boundary wall, anchor the private, sheltered courtyard — finished with soft, layered lighting throughout to bring the whole material palette to life after dark.
• — It's a home built on confidence in raw, honest materials — letting timber, steel, and concrete age and perform exactly as they're meant to.