The beach was already there. What needed to change was the way a repeatedly altered 1960s home met it. At Raumati Beach, the owners wanted to renovate their permanent home for retirement while adding a private dwelling that could provide income.

The existing building had accumulated additions over decades. A problematic conservatory and overheating were part of the challenge, alongside the less visible demands of ground conditions and the coastal environment. Sea spray, sand and wind made the external materials and building fabric as relevant as the plan.

Modal Architecture began by simplifying the existing home. Removing the conservatory gives the renovation a clearer basis for organising the home around the beach. A western pergola introduces shade where it is needed, working with the deck to change the character and use of the beach elevation. The outdoor edge becomes part of the response to exposure and overheating, as well as a place to enjoy the setting.

The renovation includes robust coastal materials and upgraded foundations. Whitewashed plywood and exposed structural steel contribute to the architectural character. These elements sit within a renovation that addresses both the spaces people occupy and the fabric supporting them, rather than relying on a new surface treatment alone.

A second part of the brief required a different kind of intervention. The infill dwelling is elevated, with that decision accommodating parking while supporting views and privacy. Its arrangement makes provision for an additional household without treating the owners’ own amenity as expendable. The potential income use is therefore considered together with the quality of both places to live.

For the owners, these two pieces of architecture form a retirement strategy: a renewed beachfront home and a private additional dwelling. Together, they give the owners a more useful property for daily life at the beach, with separate accommodation that supports their retirement plans.