Several Lysaght steel products were specified for a new beach house built on Falcon Beach, keeping in mind the coastal location, the native landscape as well as the heritage neighbourhood.

Located south of Perth in the city of Mandurah, Falcon Beach is home to several beach houses that were built in the 1950s and 60s.

The design by Iredale Pederson Hook Architects takes care not to disturb the native landscape, with the house hovering above the ground on a series of cranked steel columns and brick piers. The upper level of the house is clad in Lysaght CUSTOM ORB corrugated cladding made from COLORBOND Ultra steel in the colour Surfmist, which matches well with the white sand, sea spray, and sunshine.

In striking contrast, the lower level is covered in native plant species from the adjoining sand dunes and scattered with habitable limestone rocks – paying due respect to the immediate environment.

The client sought a house that could cleanly transition between active family gatherings and the solitude of a second home away from their main residence.

Working with the builders, Hugo Homes, the architects created a peaceful home-away-from-home for the client – one that could also handle the demands of an extended family. Large spaces such as the deck allow for multiple ways to inhabit the house. Guests can also move on to their own activities in different areas of the house.

While meeting the functional requirements of the client, the architects also needed to consider the coastal environment, and the house’s exposure to the elements. Lysaght CUSTOM ORB cladding was the material of choice because of its ability to stand up to everything – coastal wind, rain, salt water and sand.

Additionally, several other Lysaght steel products were specified for the beach house including Fascia Purlin, an easy-to-use, economical eave purlin and fascia product, roll formed from high-tensile Australian-made steel, and galvanised for corrosion protection.

Similarly, the lightweight Lysaght TOPSPAN 22 and Lysaght TOPSPAN 40 ceiling battens were also installed as a strong alternative to timber. Lysaght quarter round guttering, a contemporary product with a rounded bottom that provides an improved self-cleaning feature, Lysaght SPANDEK, a simple square-corrugated roof and wall cladding that is strong, impact resistant and economical, and Lysaght Zed purlins, which can be used over single spans and in unlapped and lapped continuous spans in multi-bay buildings, were installed at the beach house.

Falcon Beach House is a modern-day homage to the beach house heritage of fifty years ago. The house won Iredale Pedersen Hook Architects the ‘Residential Buildings’ prize at the recent Lysaght Inspirations Design Awards.