Inspired by a European and sun-drenched summer, Gunnamatta Boat House combines grounding elements with a lofted lightness. Akin Atelier carefully layer moments of softness and tactility to create a unique sanctuary for its owners.
What was originally an under-utilised boat shed of ill repair along the water has since been converted into a contemporary place to retreat. In responding to the nearby ebb and flow of the water and the proximity to such an abundant natural reminder, the interior has been reshaped by layering natural elements that offer a matched robustness.
Warm and muted tones see natural linens, plastered walls, natural stone and a nod to the nautical stripe reinterpreted through a contemporary lens.
The efficient space integrates joinery to supplement storage and custom seating as an extension of the architecture of the space.
With a generous and enviable outlook, every function internally is reminded of place through visual connections to the water beyond, bringing an abundance of natural light, filling the interior.
While the overall internal volume is restricted, the new works see a reconfiguration of the existing floor plan to ensure the space is opened into one. Allowing for connections outward was key, bringing the boatshed closer to its location. Integrating joinery as furniture and using consistent materiality throughout had ensured the spaces feel larger and more cohesive.
By pulling the kitchen and main storage wall to the rear of the existing space, all of the functional amenity items are away from the view. Through a simplified lens, a restrained palette of subtle, warm, neutral finishes creates the ideal place to move freely between inside and out.
Bringing elements such as the oversized flooring pavers indoors, the sensory engagement of being outdoors is experienced inside. Along with the newly painted encasing texture of the boat shed, internally, the walls are given their own specialist plaster treatment, reminiscent of the aged walls found in Mediterranean coastal towns.
Gunnamatta Boat House integrates modular elements that transition the space from day to night and facilitate effortless movement between inside and out. Akin Atelier have brought their unique and softened approach in crafting the ideal base to watch the moving boat traffic ahead.
