Perched on a hill overlooking Port Phillip Bay, Victorian-based architectural practice Pleysier Perkins and design and construct builder InForm have taken the spirit of a 1960s beach house to embrace where the sea meets the sky.
Located on the Mornington Peninsula, Horizon House is a holiday home that maximises its coastal position. The owner, having previously spent over a decade holidaying at the original property with his family, sought a contemporary design that honoured the spirit of the ‘60s beach house as “the existing house had reached its ‘used by’ date,” Pleysier Perkins architect Simon Perkins explains.
When the opportunity arose to collaborate on another local home, InForm and Pleysier Perkins joined forces, with the owner already familiar with InForm’s work and drawn to their integrated design and construction approach. As a result, Horizon House’s design effortlessly connects the interior and exterior, framing bay vistas with timeless simplicity.
At first glance, the home’s trapezium-shaped form and sweeping curves mimic the gentle waves and sandy shores. The home is divided into two adjacent blocks, which are separated by a central entry hallway, all aligned parallel to the beach. The entry point heightens the impact of the bay view, guiding the eye through a cleverly designed walkway that displays European pale oak flooring and low-sheen acrylic walls in marble mist, narrowing the sightline to the blue expanse of water beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows.
The dining area features the Blade dining table by CR&S Varenna for Poliform surrounded by B&B Italia Vol Au Vent chairs by Mario Bellini.
In the living room, the B&B Italia Alanda coffee table by Paolo Piva.
The entry is designed to heighten the impact of the bay view.
“All rooms have a fully glazed connection to a terrace and enjoy panoramic views of the continuous horizon line, where the sea meets the sky,” Perkins says. “It’s an incredibly atmospheric, dynamic and constant experience.”
The ground floor serves as a single-bedroom residence, with key living spaces—such as the open-plan kitchen and dining area, living room, powder room and laundry—also occupying the space. Upstairs, the games room and children’s bedrooms open onto a double-storey concrete-cased terrace and balcony. “Concrete terraces on both floors connect the interior to the exterior and provide solar protection,” Perkins continues. “The curved edges soften the architecture, in harmony with its surroundings, while enhancing the seamless view lines from inside.”
Bagged and painted brickwork, formed concrete, slender steel and timber slats are thoughtfully integrated into the exterior, creating a robust, tactical impression. Inside, the design facilitates a seamless transition to the outdoors, emphasising its panoramic views through a calm, neutral palette. Coastal materials inform the interior, where tonal sand-coloured paint and continuous oak flooring introduce warmth and crafted sensibility, while Signorino Afrodite marble and the green colour-blocking of steel columns echo the changing hues of the sea. This restrained palette honours the owners’ deep connection to the site.
Horizon House is a testament to the harmonious relationship between architecture and its surroundings. Through their collaboration, Pleysier Perkins and InForm have crafted a home to withstand the test of time, ensuring Horizon House will stand proudly for generations, overlooking countless sunsets on the horizon.
“All rooms have a fully glazed connection to a terrace and enjoy panoramic views of the continuous horizon line, where the sea meets the sky,” Perkins says.
The Balloon Ceramic bowl 05 by Louise Roe for Copenhagen, available from Winnings.
The Two Halves bench by Nicholas Aylward.
A formed concrete balcony echoes the curves of the gentle waves below.
Bagged painted bricks, glass bricks and timber slats subtly reference the original ’60s home, while the green steel elements add personality to the design.
Concrete steps descend into the landscaped garden, where a large lawn area offsets the curved pool.
Given the original home had reached its “due date”, the owner desired a new contemporary holiday home that “maximised its superb position but also included the atmosphere of the original 60’s beach house,” Perkins says.
