A beachfront home in Manly with floor to ceiling windows uses timber look batten screens to provide privacy to the residents without blocking the beautiful ocean views.
Designed by Koichi Takada, this residential property situated on the water’s edge in Manly is presented as an example of ‘invisible architecture’. The designer, who’s known for drawing inspiration from the natural environment, aims to connect the residents with their surroundings through minimalist and careful design, and uses the coastal setting as a muse.
“The sweeping curves of the facade are reminiscent of the shape of the picturesque Manly coastline or the rolling waves of the Pacific,” says Takada.
The house stands out for the rounded corners of each floor as well as Ever Art Wood horizontal timber look battens cut and staggered at different lengths to create the crescent shaped feature screens. For additional utility, the lightweight battens have been fitted to sliding screens to allow uninterrupted ocean views.
Ever Art Wood timber look aluminium battens from Covet International enabled Koichi Takada Architects to realise their vision of a timber aesthetic in this high humidity, marine environment. The highly durable aluminium can withstand the harsh coastal region, being resistant to salt water and UV exposure. Additionally, the aluminium battens demand minimal maintenance as they will not warp or require ongoing oiling or treatments as natural timber would.
A realistic timber aesthetic was important since the screens would be a highly visible feature of the building. Vacuum sealed end caps featuring the same realistic timber look polymer wrap as the battens, were used to create an incredibly convincing timber alternative.
Cladding profile: Custom 100x100 Ever Art Wood Kabebari battens
Ever Art Wood: Supuringu Oku in a textured finish
Fire rating: Performs well when tested to AS/NZ 1530.3 (spread of flame/ index 0) and AS/NZ 3837-1998 (result/ Group 1)
Photography: Martin Sieger & Tom Ferguson
