Beach Hytte

ALUM CHINE . POOLE

The roof top apartment ‘Beach Hytte’, so named after the Norwegian weekend cabin, is located above an existing two storey 1950s purposed built block of flats a hundred meters from the cliff top in Alum Chine, Poole. Simon’s aim at the time was to incorporate all his experience to date and trial some new ideas that appear too risky for clients or speculative development. Working with an existing block posed both structural and design challenges.

The principal design challenge was to integrate the new roof top apartment with the proportions of the existing building creating a coherent whole. The volumes had to be handled carefully with the apartment bulk reduced by setting it back from each elevation with terraces on all sides. Everything about this design and build was done to an exacting degree with flooring and wall cladding sourced from mills in Czechoslovakia, extensive testing and mixing was done to create a unique stain “Gothenburg Grey” to fit with the other features and all the wardrobes, internal doors and sideboard finished were designed and fabricated specifically for the project.

Beach Hytte won multiple awards including Daily Mail Best Redevelopment, Best Architecture Single Unit and Best Property Dorset.