On the oceanic beach of Yuin Country, Mollymook, in the Australian New South Wales, the iconic Cake House, named so because of the surfers, is being renovated, finding a new spatial and energetic dimension
The renovation of the Cake House is designed by Alexander Symes Architect. Its kite-shaped form that makes it a landmark for the locals is preserved and enriched with new hybrid spaces that blend the interior with the exterior. One of the project's focuses was the energy efficiency of the holiday home, which, due to its passive design, is powered 100% electrically and recognized as a Net Zero building
The renovation of the house involved the use of high-quality local materials and utilized the "Australian Passive House building model" specifically designed for the coastal climate of the location. Situated in a flood-prone area, the surrounding landscape was reshaped to protect the house from waves, providing the opportunity to create a basement level for the sleeping area that utilizes thermal mass for comfort. The new garden, planted with endemic species, borders the glass-walled living room on the first floor, emphasizing the connection with the outdoors
It was important to create comfortable indoor spaces for a family of 5 people that, in case of additional guests, would not feel overcrowded. This is why flexible environments that creatively accommodate are designed, while the new technologies used make the house resilient to future energy challenges. Considering the installed photovoltaic system, the materials chosen for their low carbon footprint, and the reuse of the existing 30,000-liter cistern for irrigation and sanitary water, the building will have a negative footprint of -33,494 kg of CO2 in 55 years and will feed 7,000 kWh per year into the grid
