After starting in 1999 as a simple Mornington Peninsula beach shack, St Andrews Beach Villa has finally reached completion.

Belonging to Woods Bagot CEO Nik Karalis, the home is now a five-bedroom villa complete with pool, cabana, glasshouse and outdoor deck.

According to Karalis, it is not unusual for villas to take decades to complete, and in the case of this house, it was expanded over the years to accommodate increasing family needs and adapt to the site.

As the site is vulnerable to high winds, erosion and high salinity, it was important that the home’s materials and construction were robust enough to handle this.

The design

The building has a simple form, consisting of a raised steel box with ocean views, under which sits a cosy, sheltered space perfect for a private retreat.

Bedrooms have been located towards the more sheltered, northern side of the site, while the front of the home, exposed via glazing, consists of more public spaces such as the living and dining rooms.

Interior finishes are a combination of new elements and old materials that have remained in the villa throughout its 30 years of evolution.

According to Karalis, while this latest stage of the design is complete, the house is likely to continue evolving over time. With the potential to exist over generations, the home will continue responding to the dynamism of its coastal site and the ever-changing world around it, as well as the changing needs of the owners.