Two Teachers Create a Space Dedicated to the Outdoors

For two Australian teachers, retirement would be an opportunity to explore the world and enjoy life outside the classroom. While they planned to spend winters on their catamaran, they wanted a place to call home in Victoria for the summer months. They found the perfect area in Somers, a small town on the Mornington Peninsula. To help them create a spot that takes advantage of the outdoors while maintaining privacy, they turned to local architect Adrian Bonomi.

Bonomi devised a modern home that's set back from the street to allow space for a garden and equipped with a large loggia that lets the couple spend as much time outdoors as possible. The couple asked Bonami to incorporate dark wood cladding, so the architect used clear- and dark-stained white cypress as the standout architectural element. The finished space feels connected to the outdoors but secluded from the street. For the retirees, the best is truly yet to come in this home.