Permanent Weekender 住宅丨澳大利亚丨buck&simple 建筑工作室

In Wagstaffe, Australia, architecture studio buck&simple. has divided this 2021 house into public and private spaces through a solid brick courtyard. Known as Permanent Weekender, the home is elevated to maintain its water views and create an artificial ground plane, accessible from the upper floor living areas. A subdued, textural palette enhances the home’s friendly, warm and calm atmosphere, along with abundant natural light and tactile materials like recycled brick and blackbutt.

Wagstaffe House Offers Elevated Water Views

Architecture studio buck&simple. has divided the Permanent Weekender house through public and private wings paired with a solid brick courtyard. Located in Wagstaffe, Australia, the house dates to 2021.

“The house retains the water view by staying elevated and integrates a solid brick courtyard to create an artificial ground plane that is accessible from the upper floor living areas,” said the buck&simple. studio.

Floating above the side elevation is a modest structure that is neatly bookended by two volumes with lofted ceilings and a twin-pitched roof—a signature motif throughout the house. The raised courtyard provides views of the ocean on one side while serving as another shared space that is enclosed and tranquil. “The layout consists of public and private wings that create a raised courtyard, open on one side to frame the view and create a place of refuge from the elements,” the studio said.

Surrounded by trees, most of the home’s site enjoys north-facing windows that offer views of the water. “Our clients’ sea/green change is a common goal – to be more in touch with the surrounding environment and to live in a way that is more in tune with the outside world,” buck&simple. shared.

Natural Light Comes into Play

Describing the design, the studio said the “home is friendly, warm and calm, largely due to the use of natural light” and a palette of materials that “express their inherent texture”. “There is a simple combination of recycled brick, concrete and recycled blackbutt that creates a familiar palette,” buck&simple. said. “Recycled blackbutt is exhibited throughout the home, like the large structural timber trusses and exposed rafters that support the oversized eaves. “Internally the palette is textural and subdued,” the studio said, noting the avoidance of plasterboard.

“We used white painted timber for places we wanted more light that natural timber wouldn’t have been suitable,” the studio added. Flooring is another element that defines the space – concrete that signals public areas, transitioning to brick indicating private spaces.