Krause Emperor bricks from Robertson's Building Products Pty Ltd were selected by the architects for the façade of the Bayside House, referencing the surrounding heritage context in a stylish, contemporary way.
Designed by Adam Kane Architects, Bayside House is a beautiful gable-roof brick building featuring a sophisticated, modern aesthetic while providing a timeless, comfortable space for the residents. The architects sought to establish a seamless connection between the interior spaces and the outdoor garden by blending the internal and external palette, allowing sunlight into the living areas and maximising views out to the garden’s inviting pool.
Large glass windows connect the durable, neutral palette of Krause Emperor bricks in Ghost/Grey on the façade to the interior palette consisting of American Oak floorboards, muted with a grey wash to create a ‘sandy’ feel, which references the home’s beachside location. These two materials sit in stunning contrast to the dark, walnut-brown veneer on the joinery, yet each element works in great harmony creating a truly elegant setting.
“We created a holistic design concept of what works internally and outside, so defined a palette that worked well together with desaturated colours and a lot of timber and a lot of texture,” says Adam Kane, director, Adam Kane Architects.
The clean, minimalist simplicity as well as the thoughtful detail within that simplicity stands out in the home’s sophisticated design. It takes a special brick to achieve such a sophisticated aesthetic, which is why the locally-made Krause Emperor bricks were specified.
“We wanted to use these bricks in different ways, because it’s such a beautiful brick material that we didn’t want to just have a flat façade with a standard treatment,” Kane commented.
Apart from the stunning gable that references the adjoining homes and their heritage setting, there’s an eye-catching breezeway at the entrance. It’s an attractive design feature but also works in a practical sense, providing diffused light and airflow, and an important sense of privacy for the family. Bricks are also glued to the outside ceilings as a finish while the façade’s right hand side “is kinked back to add a little bit of depth to the building at almost a 45-degree angle, creating sharp corners. Then on the left, bricks are laid at a horizontal angle above a window and a vertical angle below,” Kane explained.
When it came to selecting the brick, Kane chose to go local. “We found we could work with them to find the right colours. And having the flexibility of handpicking an assortment of bricks – custom to your needs – is important to us, and that ability to work with a smaller manufacturer, compared to the larger players of the game.”
The shape of the brick was also an important factor, and Krause Emperor’s long, slender proportion definitely hit the mark in that respect.
“Those long, slender bricks are timeless. It wouldn’t have been as special if it were a standard proportion brick or something that was more uniform in texture and colour. That nice patchwork of texture and colour really brings something unique and special to the home,” says Kane.
Everybody from the architect to the young family is exceptionally happy with the final outcome of the Bayside House.
“Having a client who trusts your designer aesthetic and what you’re proposing is really great; it just enhances the build, and the end result,” Kane concluded.
Photographer: Tom Blachford
