Renovation of the 'Cake House' in Mollymook

Alexander Symes Architect has completed a renovation and extension of a privately owned beachfront holiday home in Mollymook, New South Wales. The project, focused on the locally nicknamed 'Cake House', aimed to extend the building's lifespan, increase its capacity for hosting groups, and improve its connection to the coastal environment while incorporating sustainability and climate resilience features.

Project Overview and Objectives

The renovation involved alterations and additions to the existing structure, a holiday home known for its distinctive, slice-like shape facing the beach. According to the firm, the primary goals were to ensure the building's longevity, enhance its ability to accommodate guests, and strengthen the relationship between indoor living spaces and the outdoor environment.

The design sought to preserve the building's original, iconic beach-facing form, which the architect noted has historically served as a landmark for local surfers.

Design Approach and Layout

The design maintained the existing dwelling's siting and setback from the road to preserve view corridors from the street and adjacent properties. New additions were constructed at the rear of the property to minimize their visibility from the street. A significant portion of the original building structure and materials was reused in the new design.

Internal spaces were remodeled within the original footprint. The new layout provides four bedrooms and three bathrooms, with a stated capacity to accommodate up to 17 people. New communal spaces were added on the first floor, and additional bedrooms were placed beneath a new outdoor terrace.

Eastern-facing glazing and the terrace were incorporated to improve visual and physical connections to the external environment. Living spaces were modified to open toward sea breezes and extend onto a large deck.

Materials and Architectural Features

Original materials, including hardwood floors and aluminium cladding, were integrated into the renovated design. New construction elements include recycled Australian hardwood cladding and concrete formwork. The existing roof shape was modified with the addition of a metal point and a gold leaf soffit.

Sustainability and Resilience Measures

The project incorporated several features intended to address environmental performance and potential climate impacts:

• The ground floor was constructed with concrete to withstand potential water inundation.
• A landscaped berm was incorporated to help deflect sea surges.
• Sustainability systems include solar power, a battery storage system, a 30,000-liter in-ground water tank, and a heat recovery ventilation system.
• Existing site elements such as the driveway, fences, topsoil, and endemic plant species like banksias were retained where possible.

According to a life cycle analysis cited by the architect, the project is calculated to be carbon negative over a predicted 55-year lifespan and achieves net zero in operational energy use.

One source noted that the embodied energy of the project was higher than other recent projects by the firm, primarily due to the use of concrete, but stated this was offset by the other sustainability features.

Architect's Statements

Alexander Symes, director of Alexander Symes Architect, provided several statements regarding the project. He said the renovation worked to "embrace the iconic shape of the house whilst improving the connection to the ocean." Symes explained that maintaining the coastal vernacular and existing view corridors was a priority, leading to the decision to place additions at the rear of the property.

He also described a specific visual effect observed at dawn, where morning light reflects off the gold leaf soffit and runs down a central brass channel within the building. Regarding the execution, Symes noted that the clients responded positively to the reuse of existing materials and praised the builders' work.

Property Use

The house remains a private holiday home. It is available for rental as accommodation when not occupied by the owners.