Latest news with #NSWArchitectureawards
The Age
26-05-2025
- General
- The Age
The cake-shaped home that reimagines what a beach house can be
A 60-year-old beach house shaped like a slice of cake without icing has been a Mollymook landmark for generations, particularly for surfers looking for a break on that stretch of the NSW South Coast. Shortlisted in two categories in the 2025 NSW Architecture awards, the redesign of Cake House could become an exemplar for how to turn a draughty beach house that was expensive to heat and cool into a solar-powered home habitable year-round. Architect Alexander Symes said the home's distinctive roofline had made it a beacon. 'Because it is a cake-shaped piece, it became affectionately known as the break in front of Cakey. Surfers would say 'the surf is breaking really well in front of Cakey', or '100 metres to the north of Cakey'.' The design of the 175 square metre holiday home by Alexander Symes Architect that sleeps 17 people makes sustainable architecture fun. Sliding double-glazed doors open in living areas to turn a semicircular dining table into a full circle that seats more than a dozen. Nets for children to climb on hang high above the bunk beds. Gold leaf paint on the peak of the roof makes the local icon sparkle in the morning sun. Wide steps lead to a fire pit and the beach. A spread of surfboards lean against the Australian hardwood. Shortlisted in the alterations/additions and the sustainable categories of the NSW awards, Cakey was once clad in aluminium – 'like living in a tent', Symes said. 'Now it is super-insulated, with high-performance glazing, and airtight with a heat recovery ventilation system for constant fresh air so it is healthy and warm.'
Sydney Morning Herald
26-05-2025
- General
- Sydney Morning Herald
The cake-shaped home that reimagines what a beach house can be
A 60-year-old beach house shaped like a slice of cake without icing has been a Mollymook landmark for generations, particularly for surfers looking for a break on that stretch of the NSW South Coast. Shortlisted in two categories in the 2025 NSW Architecture awards, the redesign of Cake House could become an exemplar for how to turn a draughty beach house that was expensive to heat and cool into a solar-powered home habitable year-round. Architect Alexander Symes said the home's distinctive roofline had made it a beacon. 'Because it is a cake-shaped piece, it became affectionately known as the break in front of Cakey. Surfers would say 'the surf is breaking really well in front of Cakey', or '100 metres to the north of Cakey'.' The design of the 175 square metre holiday home by Alexander Symes Architect that sleeps 17 people makes sustainable architecture fun. Sliding double-glazed doors open in living areas to turn a semicircular dining table into a full circle that seats more than a dozen. Nets for children to climb on hang high above the bunk beds. Gold leaf paint on the peak of the roof makes the local icon sparkle in the morning sun. Wide steps lead to a fire pit and the beach. A spread of surfboards lean against the Australian hardwood. Shortlisted in the alterations/additions and the sustainable categories of the NSW awards, Cakey was once clad in aluminium – 'like living in a tent', Symes said. 'Now it is super-insulated, with high-performance glazing, and airtight with a heat recovery ventilation system for constant fresh air so it is healthy and warm.'
