Architects: Oscar Sainsbury Architects, Insider / Outsider
Area: 150 m²
Year: 2022
Photographs: Rory Gardiner
Builder: Cordell Projects
Landscape: Coastal Native Gardens
Program / Use / Building Function: Residential
Area Decks: 65 m2
Engineer: R Bliem & Associates
Town: Smiths Beach
Country: Australia
Hollywood House, designed by Oscar Sainsbury Architects + Insider / Outsider, is located at Smiths Beach, Phillip Island. Originally designed by John Baird in the late 1970s and early 1980s, the house retains its functional and utilitarian materiality while adding new spaces to accommodate evolving family needs. The renovation maintains the original building’s principles and introduces new spaces and amenities defined by the original house’s scale, rhythm, and tactile qualities. A small two-level addition clad in salvaged timber complements the original structure. Minimal interventions include new openings, louvered windows, and improved insulation. The house aims to offer ease of use and withstand the rigors of holiday life, functioning for three generations.
‘Hollywood’ is one of a few houses at Smiths Beach, Phillip Island, designed by architect John Baird in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Constructed from timber and clad in rough-sawn treated pine, Baird’s houses were thoughtfully designed with regard to siting, views, and orientation, and featured minimal site coverage to allow for ample landscaping. Of these original houses, only two remain, including ‘Hollywood,’ which occupies a prominent corner location.
Having been thoroughly tested and proven over 30 years of family use, the clients aimed to retain the original house’s functional simplicity and utilitarian materiality while adding more space to accommodate the evolving needs of family life. The renovation framework was based on the principles and qualities of the existing building, with new spaces and amenities defined by the original house’s scale, rhythm, and tactile qualities. New connections to the site and surrounding environment were introduced only when they served a functional purpose and enhanced the existing structure.
Constructed entirely from off-the-shelf materials such as timber, plywood, galvanized iron, and glass, the original house’s design was closely tied to the economic efficiency of its construction. The cube-like form established a strong volumetric language while carefully adapting to the slope of the land. The renovation approach was to engage with these pre-existing conditions, maintaining the scale of rooms, stepped floor plates, and vertical inhabitation while reusing existing materials whenever possible.
A modest two-level addition, consistent in scale with the original house, is clad in timber salvaged on-site from a demolished wall and shed. The upper level now accommodates all the needs of a couple or small family on holiday, while the ground floor rooms provide additional space as needed. A series of minimal interventions were made to the original building, such as creating new openings by stripping walls back to the stud frame, bringing in light from the north, adding louvered windows and hatches for airflow, and enhancing insulation and glazing.
Other simple but functional elements were retained or repurposed, such as the original staircase. A pantry was converted into a closet, and a repositioned shed storing various surf and ocean equipment activated an underutilized area of the garden. Decks on both levels feature different levels of enclosure—fully open, partially covered, and roofed—offering ocean views or shelter from the wind.
The project seeks to embody a spirit of effortless living, providing generously for its occupants while demanding little in return. The house is designed to endure the rigors of holiday life and now serves three generations.
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Project Location
Address: Smiths Beach, Phillip Island, Victoria 3922, Australia
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
