Point Leo

With architectural cues that instantly transport guests to the mid-century abodes of sunny Southern California, Point Leo by Pleysier Perkins plays with time in its consideration of era, light and longevity. Tucked away in a secluded part of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, the Melbourne-based architects were given creative reign over an expansive site, yielding a  single-storey retreat that houses a family of three and friends in motel-like design.

Open to the funky ideas that come with the desire for a Palm Springs getaway, the clients wanted their love for mid-century modern architecture known. Also taking inspiration from classic Australian beach shacks, the holiday house sustains a deep connection to its natural surroundings, honouring both the bush and coastal elements of its peaceful location. Placing the pool in the heart of the home creates an omnipresence of water that grounds Point Leo in its beachside environment while echoing a convivial motel ambiance. Alongside the central pool is an outdoor entertaining area, spa and curved shower that acts as a continuity of the house’s starring material feature – brick.

Choosing Bowral Bricks 76 in Chillingham White to grace both the external and internal walls of Point Leo, Pleysier Perkins assert the flexibility in form that defines brick and masonry. Empowered to create a free-flowing space that champions brick while letting the remainder of the material palette breathe, the modular product is used in soft forms across the build. Deeply residential yet possessing the durability required for family-living, the light, warm and matte colourway casts delicate shadows over the interiors as the sun cascades over them. With circular motifs found throughout, the home’s front door emerges behind a masonry portal that funnels natural light into the entranceway. GB Masonry Flower Breeze blocks in Porcelain extend from the garage area, spanning across the outdoor areas for added privacy, natural ventilation and light. A long hallway, with doors in jewelled pastels, captures northern sunlight, retaining the heat in the brickwork to be slowly released over the day. Harnessing the outstanding thermal properties of brick, this design allows for the air conditioning (powered by the rooftop solar photovoltaic system) to be used only minimally.

Built for entertaining, Point Leo’s generous footprint gives way to a creative use of space inside. Comprising four bedrooms, two bathrooms, a sunken lounge and open living and kitchen areas (with an integrated game zone), the holiday house hosts ample room for all the activities involved in family vacations. The colour-block bedrooms in the light-filled hallway possess vibrant shutters to allow guests to keep rooms shady and cool over summer, while offering glimpses through to the central garden and pool. Balancing the kaleidoscope found in the shutters, stained glass, artwork and mid-century furniture, the remainder of the home’s palette is earthy and true to the natural tones of its material features, opening it up to changing with trends to come. Timber and cork accompany brick in forming a timeless atmosphere that is both sustainable and durable, with New Generation cork tiles blending with the masonry in the hallway. A sunken lounge combines the creativity of the home’s builders, interior designers and architects, cast in Chillingham White bricks and upholstered in a retro boucle fabric. The master suite, that sits beyond double doors in vintage hues, features a Japanese onsen-inspired ensuite, fitted floor to ceiling in tiles typically adorning Japanese bathtubs. In addition to the crafted timber fittings of a shower stool and side table, the bathroom exudes tranquillity, offering a playful cultural shift in contrast to the remainder of the American-style home.

Hailing from the balmy climate of Palm Springs, California, this secluded holiday home pairs novelty with nostalgia. Grounded in sandy brick from inside to out, a quirky motel-style layout, vibrant stained-glass windows and pastel fixtures, Point Leo is a one-of-a-kind retreat that revels in the fun of architectural design.

“Choosing Bowral Bricks 76 in Chillingham White to grace both the external and internal walls of Point Leo, Pleysier Perkins assert the flexibility in form that defines brick and masonry.”

“Choosing Bowral Bricks 76 in Chillingham White to grace both the external and internal walls of Point Leo, Pleysier Perkins assert the flexibility in form that defines brick and masonry.”