Billa

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This home, built amongst a forest of mature Brush Box trees, is a modern take on the classic Straddie beach shack. The design blurs the line between indoors and out, capturing the simple, connected essence of camping.

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The Brief

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The owners of this beautiful home have been camping on Straddie since the 1980s. After years of searching for a house or land on the island, they found 7 Billa Street, a site featuring more than a dozen mature Brush Box trees. The design brief focused on retaining as many of these trees as possible while creating a beach shack that captures the essence of camping, yet functions as part of a community.

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The Design

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Site & Layout The long, linear house is positioned along the eastern edge of the site, requiring the removal of only one existing Brush Box tree. The simple layout places the living spaces at the northern end and the bedrooms to the south, separated by an open circulation stair.

Indoor-Outdoor Connection Movement between the living areas, bathroom, and bedrooms occurs via the covered veranda, ensuring occupants remain connected to the trees, the street, and the site's microclimate. An adjustable, bi-folding vertical timber screen (made from Accoya) allows for changing conditions on the veranda.

Treetop Living The living, dining, and kitchen areas open onto both the northern deck and western veranda via large sliding timber doors. These doors seamlessly stack away to create an uninterrupted connection between the interior, tree canopy, and beach views. An upstand concrete beam enables a 6.8m cantilevered roof, eliminating the need for a corner column on the balcony and reinforcing the feeling of living in the treetops.

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Key Features

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• Integrated Joinery: A stunning ‘L’-shaped joinery feature defines the kitchen, seamlessly transitioning into a daybed that extends onto the northern deck.

• Outdoor Shower: A highlight of the home is the master bedroom’s outdoor shower, beautifully reflecting the simplicity and connection to nature that camping embodies.

• Custom Bedrooms: Each bedroom is accessed from the veranda and includes built-in platform beds, integrated bedside tables, separate wardrobes, and a desk space. All joinery is suspended above the floor to enhance the sense of space.

• Flexible Levels: The ground level features a self-contained one-bedroom studio that mirrors the upper level’s layout. The concrete roof structure also accommodates a roof terrace, nestled beneath the tree canopy.

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Material Palette

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Concrete was chosen for its durability, simplicity, and raw aesthetic. The material palette follows the same ethos:

• Floors, ceilings & selected walls: Off-form concrete

• External cladding: Natural FC

• Joinery & internal wall linings: Birch veneer plywood

• Benchtops, vanities & basins: Raw brass, already developing a beautiful patina

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The Outcome

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This home engages effortlessly with the surrounding landscape, creating new shade and lawn for local kangaroos. It offers occupants and guests a harmonious blend of curated materials, spatial flow, and natural interaction. Despite the robust construction, the design balances strength with delicate detailing, fostering a tranquil, sensory-rich environment—much like camping itself.