- Project: Point Lonsdale House
- Architect: Solomon Troup Architects
- Location: Australia, Point Lonsdale, Victoria
- Year: 2023
- Area: 185 m2
- Photography: Timothy Kaye
A Gentle Coastal Transformation
In the quiet seaside town of Point Lonsdale, Solomon Troup Architects have transformed a modest 1980s brick house into a refined, low-impact home deeply attuned to its coastal landscape. The Point Lonsdale House is not about grandeur or excess — it’s a story of subtle adaptation, of listening to the site and extending the life of what already existed. Through thoughtful design and careful restraint, the architects created a residence that feels both new and familiar, timeless and effortless.
Respecting What Was Already There
The clients, a couple entering a new stage of life, wanted to reinvent their long-time home to better reflect their changing needs — a place that could feel open and light-filled for two, but also welcome visiting family. Instead of starting over, Solomon Troup Architects proposed a surgical renovation: retain the solid bones of the house, remove only what was necessary, and add just enough to redefine how it lives and breathes.
A 40 m² extension was added under the existing roofline, expanding the floor plan to 185 m². This addition houses a new master suite and a secondary living space oriented toward the garden, providing the clients with privacy and a stronger relationship to the landscape.
A New Conversation with the Garden
The original house was inward-facing, with small windows and dark rooms. The renovation completely reoriented the home toward the garden, introducing generous glazing that floods the interiors with natural light. The new extension gently opens to the backyard with sliding doors that frame the native vegetation, blurring the boundary between architecture and nature.
From the street, the transformation is subtle — the restrained façade conceals the lightness and openness within. The architects chose to keep the familiar front elevation, preserving the home’s identity within its quiet coastal neighbourhood.
Material Warmth and Coastal Texture
The new addition is wrapped in vertical spotted gum cladding, a timber rain-screen that references the tones and textures of the coastal bush. This natural material softens the geometry of the structure and helps it blend seamlessly with the surrounding vegetation.
The cladding is both aesthetic and functional: it protects the façade from harsh afternoon sun and salt air while ensuring privacy from neighbouring properties.
Inside, the palette is deliberately calm — muted whites, pale oak, and warm timber joinery that echo the colours of sand and sea. The atmosphere is serene and understated, allowing light, shadow, and texture to define the character of the house.
Light, Air, and Simplicity
The reorganization of space brought new clarity and flow. The living, dining, and kitchen zones now form a continuous open plan, oriented toward the garden and deck. When the sliding doors are open, the interior merges effortlessly with the outdoor landscape. Cross-ventilation and natural light were key drivers in the design — the new openings capture breezes from the coast while reducing reliance on mechanical cooling.
In the bedroom wing, the master suite enjoys morning light and a private view into the garden. Subtle transitions between public and private areas are achieved through shifts in ceiling height, material tone, and filtered light rather than doors or partitions.
Sustainable by Intention
Sustainability in Point Lonsdale House is achieved not through technology, but through thoughtful design and reuse. By retaining most of the existing structure, the project minimized demolition waste and embodied carbon. The new materials were locally sourced, and the timber cladding was left untreated to weather naturally over time.
Thermal comfort was improved with additional insulation, double glazing, and passive solar orientation. Every design decision — from the deep eaves to the operable timber screens — contributes to efficiency without compromising aesthetics.
A House That Belongs
What makes this project remarkable is its restraint. The house does not shout for attention — it sits quietly among the trees, reflecting the architects’ philosophy that good architecture should feel inevitable, as if it had always belonged to its place.
The renovation balances nostalgia and renewal: the familiar brick base remains, anchoring the home in memory, while the timber-clad addition speaks to a new chapter. The result is a house that grows out of its context — both natural and personal — a space shaped by time, care, and continuity.
Point Lonsdale House exemplifies how small, precise interventions can achieve profound transformation. Solomon Troup Architects have crafted a home that respects its past while embracing the future — a design that values texture, light, and quiet sustainability over spectacle.
This project is a reminder that architecture need not be radical to be meaningful; sometimes, the most beautiful work lies in the gentlest of gestures.
