Project: Cake House
Architecture: Alexander Symes Architect
Interior Designer: Inn. Studio
Builder: Skylar Construction
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Area: 215 m2
Year: 2025
Photo Credits: Barton Taylor
In the beach town of Mollymook, a well-known home called Cake House has been brought back to life. Locals and surfers once used its sharp, kite-shaped roof as a landmark. Architect Alexander Symes kept this unique shape at the heart of the redesign, while giving the home new strength, energy efficiency, and protection from the changing climate.
A New Life for a Local Landmark
The architects kept the home’s most recognizable feature—the diamond-shaped lobby that connects both floors. They reshaped the roof, making it sharper and lighter. Now, it appears to float gently above the living areas.
The updated design uses natural and reused materials. The team added carbon-neutral concrete and recycled hardwood. They also reused aluminum cladding from the original house. These choices give the home a grounded feel and reduce its environmental impact.
Designed to Stay Cool and Save Energy
Although the house still feels like a relaxed beach shack, it now meets Passive House Enerphit standards. This means it has strong insulation, triple-glazed windows, no air leaks, and a heat recovery ventilation system. These features keep the house cool in summer and warm in winter with very little energy use.
At the same time, the home also works in mixed-mode. That means it can be opened to let fresh air in naturally when the weather allows. The home uses only electricity and produces more energy than it needs—sending about 7,000 kWh per year back to the power grid through solar panels on the roof.
Smart Layout for Coastal Living
The layout remains simple. The kitchen and living room face the ocean on the top floor. Bedrooms sit below. To protect the lower floor from future floods, the team built up the landscape around it. This berm acts like a sand dune, helping to block storm surges.
The lobby in the center works as the main entry and visual anchor. It clearly divides the public and private spaces and adds to the bold, clean design.
A Model for Sustainable Beach Homes
Cake House is more than just a stylish renovation. It shows how homes in coastal areas can be updated for comfort, beauty, and climate resilience. The design protects what people loved about the original house but brings it into the future with smart materials and clean energy.
This project proves that good design can be both iconic and responsible. Cake House remains a standout on the shoreline—but now it does even more. It leads by example.
