Sand Dunes: A Contemporary Coastal Home Rooted in the Cornish Landscape
Embedded within the dramatic dunes of Mawgan Porth, Sand Dunes is a thoughtfully crafted family retreat that marries contemporary design with traditional Cornish craftsmanship. Designed as a modern response to its unique coastal setting, the residence blends seamlessly into the natural contours of the land, making a subtle yet striking addition to the local landscape.
This new-build property comprises three interconnected buildings: the main house, a guest annex, and a pool house. The primary dwelling is a two-storey, six-bedroom home with generous family living spaces on the ground floor and private sleeping and bathing areas above. The annex and pool house provide flexible accommodation for guests and leisure, creating a collection of volumes that both complement and contrast each other through their varied material palettes.
A core element of the client’s brief was to ensure the home responded sensitively to its context, both in form and materiality. With a strong emphasis on using local tradespeople and sustainable materials, the design sought to honour the vernacular language of Mawgan Porth while introducing a fresh architectural narrative. Framing views of the Atlantic and the ever-changing beachscape was a guiding principle throughout the design process, ensuring a strong visual and emotional connection to the surrounding environment.
To withstand the harsh Atlantic conditions, the main house is clad in locally sourced Cornish stone at ground level, with reclaimed Delabole slate wrapping the upper storey. This use of robust, natural materials continues through to locally milled larch soffits, oxidised copper fascias, and a biodiverse green roof. In contrast, the annex and pool house are clad in dark-stained Douglas Fir, creating a subtle hierarchy within the cluster and allowing the main house to remain the focal point.
All three buildings share a similar construction methodology: dense stone-clad lower walls for protection, combined with an innovative, pre-insulated space frame panel system fabricated in Cornwall. These panels house 300mm of reclaimed sheep’s wool insulation, contributing to the home’s sustainable performance and natural material palette.
Winner of the 2016 RIBA South West Award, Sand Dunes has become a landmark project for the area—setting a precedent for context-sensitive design in sensitive coastal locations. The project successfully balances innovation and tradition, blending modern building techniques with a deep respect for the region’s material and cultural heritage.
We are proud to feature and promote in our architecture magazine: Sand Dunes, a contemporary Cornish coastal home
