Anchoring this lofty retreat is a base of rammed earth, chosen as the main material for the external walls to brace the house against unfettered ocean winds. From the street, Captain’s Desk reads as a slender vertical home, its windows screened by Western red cedar latticework shutters. To the rear, the full extent of the design is revealed: three storeys unfold onto winding stepped balconies. A terraced garden, pool and entertaining area are all unified by lush landscaping by Dangar Barin Smith, beautifully blending the home into its surroundings.Inside, Captain’s Desk evokes the feeling of navigating the Pacific Ocean. The chequered latticework screens cast shifting patterns of light and shadow, tracing the sun’s movement through the sky. Materials, shapes and forms are altogether richly layered, reminiscent of modern art: the arc of a crisp white timber-clad ceiling meets the sculpted mass of rammed earth.
