Inserted into an established beachside vernacular that favoured an eclectic mix of shapes and materials, the Eclipse House developed a simple form of two timber boxes addressing the east and west facades and split in the middle to create an easily identifiable entry point on the south.

Jeff and Fleur Anning’s brief was not so much about a perceived building but more about facilitating a transition from a hectic Gold Coast lifestyle dominated by the pressures of work to a casual one that would put family first. They asked us to help ‘unpack and simplify their lives’. We felt that the building should reflect those sentiments and what developed was a simple open plan prioritising coherent living, sleeping and working spaces wrapped in a palette of robust organic materials of concrete, stone and wood chosen to withstand the rigours of the harsh beachside environment while weathering and ageing gracefully.