A photograph framing a timber-clad volume as a protective outer shell, opening to a recessed deck that captures distant views through coastal scrub toward the ocean.

Bell Buoy Beach House

Bell Buoy Beach, Tasmania 2013

One of our first. Still one of our favourites.

Bell Buoy Beach House was among the very first projects we designed as a studio. Nestled behind the dunes and amongst coastal vegetation on Tasmania's north-west coast, 15 minutes east of Low Head, it is a simple one-bedroom shack built to a tight budget for our client who wanted a place to slow down. The brief was uncomplicated: a retreat for relaxed coastal living, with generous space for entertaining inside and out, and nothing more than what was needed.

The dwelling is lightweight - timber-clad and modest in footprint, sitting quietly within the scrubby coastal landscape rather than announcing itself to it. For a young studio, it was the kind of project that teaches you everything. A small budget demands clear thinking. A compact plan rewards every good decision and punishes every wasted one. And a shack, more than almost any other building type, has to earn its right to be loved by being simple, practical and genuinely enjoyable to be in. This one does all three, and we still hold it dear.

A photograph of the kitchen and dining area, where timber ceilings, warm joinery, and filtered daylight create a relaxed, lived-in interior connected to the outdoors.

A black and white photograph of the vertical timber clad facade of the main entry..

A photograph of the covered outdoor deck, complete with outdoor shower and timber decking beneath a framed opening that captures sky and vegetation.

A photograph of the open-plan living area, lined in plywood with integrated shelving, skylights, and large windows that draw in light and frame views of the surrounding bush.

A photograph of the open-plan living area with views out across the coastal scrub to Bass Strait.

A photograph of the Bell Buoy Beach House house’s low-slung coastal dwelling with timber cladding and pale blue panels, set lightly within a grassy landscape beneath an expansive sky. Large sliding doors open to outdoor living, with a family, dog, and barbecue activating the threshold between interior and landscape.

A photograph of a bedroom with timber-lined walls and ceiling, soft natural light filtering through sheer curtains, and a central paper lantern suspended above the bed.

Bell Buoy Beach House

One of our first. Still one of our favourites.

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