For their retirement, Jo and Colin Turner wanted a change of scenery. “Their previous house was a compact, inner-urban townhouse, and they were looking for a sea change that involved increased space, outlook, and a light-filled, slower pace of life,” says architect Christopher Megowan of Megowan Architectural.

The resulting project, called Three Angle House, started with a striking lot located in Mount Martha in Victoria, Australia. The property boundary is four-sided, resembling a lopsided kite; its shape comes with inherent challenges, but its strengths were what impressed Megowan on the first visit.

“I remember stepping on top of my car and spinning around 360 degrees and getting a sense of just how amazing the views would be,” says Megowan. The architect’s goal was to capture the sights in three different directions, including Mornington and Port Phillip Bay, the parkland of Mount Martha Reserve, and central Melbourne’s city lights in the distance.

The main entrance is set into the hillside. Upon arriving, a steel staircase with floating blackbutt treads draws the eye out to a view of Jullul Bay, framed in wooden door casing. Downstairs, there are two bedrooms, a bathroom and gym, utility spaces, and shower room just steps from the pool.

The main living spaces and a primary suite occupy the upper floor, which has the best vantage points. “The eastern side of the site was where the best bay view out to Mornington was, so we knew we had to get the hero space—that being the kitchen, living, dining—facing out toward that main view,” says Megowan.

Deliberate angles create a cadence throughout the home in both subtle and dramatic ways, from the geometric flare of the kitchen island and fireplace hearth to the triangular skylight that conveys natural light into the core of the home. “It seemed like something that was going to be angular was an interesting language to incorporate and an interesting form-making exercise to go through,” says Megowan.

In the living spaces, blackbutt wood floors and textured concrete walls form the backbone of the material palette, offering warmth and texture, while the principal bedroom suite is dressed in soft carpeting and muted plaster walls to foster a feeling of retreat.

No matter where the Turners are in the house, the couple is always connected to what the site has to offer. “It’s an incredible home to watch a storm roll in. The whole sky puts on a show, and given the elevated position, you feel immersed in it,” says Megowan.

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More by Megowan Architectural:

A Bold Addition With a Zigzag Roof Ushers Light Into This Melbourne Home

A Superb Australian Home Angles For Seaside Views

Project Credits:

Architecture: Megowan Architectural / @megowanarchitectural

Builder: KabSav Projects

Structural and Civil Engineer: Meyer Consulting

Landscape Design: BLAC. Design

Joiner: BM Hall Kitchens

Styling: Style Haus Co

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