Beach House

Perched on the edge of a nature reserve, this playful beach house frames expansive views across the open landscape to the English Channel beyond. Designed as a weekend retreat and place of making, the house is shaped by both its coastal setting and the creative life it supports.

The modest dwelling forms a recent addition to a linear row of beach houses in Lee-Over-Sands, a remote hamlet near Clacton-on-Sea. Commissioned by two artists, the brief called for a simple, contemporary holiday home and studio: two bedrooms, a bathroom and a generous living space capable of accommodating both domestic life and creative work.

The design is informed by an interest in form, mass and the presence of space itself. Solid and void are carefully balanced, with framed views, sheltered thresholds and a strong relationship between interior and landscape. A large low-level storage area for leisure equipment is integrated into the concrete base, while a protected terrace offers a place to pause and observe the changing light and horizon.

Although outwardly modest, the project is technically complex. Its success as a self-build relied on a close and sustained dialogue between Quinn Architects and the clients, allowing ideas to be tested, refined and constructed with care.

Materials were selected for their robustness in the exposed seaside environment and for their expressive qualities when left in a raw, honest state. The minimalist upper structure is wrapped in aluminium sheeting, lending the building a utilitarian yet contemporary character, while the concrete base anchors the house to the landscape, providing both physical and visual weight and long-term protection from the elements.