My Malua

MY MALUA is an Architect’s own beach house in beautiful Malua Bay, NSW South Coast. The project took an existing, tired and neglected beach shack, and transformed it into a lovely family holiday home. The project was awarded the prize for Residential Architecture (Alterations and Additions) – Institute of Architects Regional Architecture Awards 2022.

The jury commented that:

“My Malua is a humble and beautifully executed renovation of a tired beach house. All too often older houses are knocked down in favour of big, bold new builds, and with that the character and stories of the street are lost. My Malua sensitively reflects the scale, materiality and tone of its surrounding area and creates a considered outcome for the streetscape through the redesign of the front facade.

Key challenges of the flawed existing house were addressed through simple but considered moves such as opening the house to views, natural light, and ventilation. The architect took a conscious approach to empower the three girls who will grow up in the house to act as the clients. This personal approach is reflected in the transformation of the internal spaces and the attention to detail in each room. The outcome is a great celebration of architecture in a small community, and a refreshing reminder that older houses can have a second life.”