The Seagull Penthouse apartment building is situated on Marine Drive in Summerstrand. The Seagull is a modernist apartment building which was constructed in 1980. The design response is a celebration of the sea, beachfront & city views and informed by the engineers’ requirement that the additions be lightweight in order to minimise additional load on the existing foundations. The lightweight requirement allowed the opportunity for a deliberate break from the imposed grid below.
The canopy was sculpted by an extensive sun study that ensures that no direct sunlight enters the spaces during the warm summer months. Roof gardens were placed on either side that ensures that and outside space will always be sheltered no matter the wind direction. The predominant use of oak timber and whitewalls in the interior living areas together with the breath-taking views of the sea evokes a sense of simple seaside living. Modernist apartment buildings typically have a structural frame expressed on the exterior and built on a grid that allows for an flexible interior space.