Architecture
Rooted in Place, Open to the Bay
Riviere Towans
Chy Caron sits on an elevated clifftop in the Riviere Towans area of Hayle, where St Ives Bay stretches to the horizon and the estuary reflects shifting light. From this vantage point, the coastline feels expansive and alive. The design begins with this remarkable setting, creating homes that sit lightly on the land and respond thoughtfully to the surrounding dunes, sea, and sky.
The Brief
The project explores two contemporary dwellings that acknowledge the local vernacular while addressing the realities of coastal living and the climate emergency. The clients sought architecture that felt grounded yet forward‑looking - contemporary but not showy, resilient yet refined. The brief called for homes that could embrace the landscape, offer shelter from exposure, and create calm, generous spaces shaped by light and views.
Our Response
The two homes are arranged as a small cluster within mature hedges, their staggered composition softening the overall mass and creating a sense of intimacy. This layout echoes the irregular pattern of nearby chalets, where ridges and gables shift in response to the landscape. The larger dwelling is broken into three simple forms, reinforcing the idea of a coastal cluster, while the smaller home complements it with clarity and restraint.
Externally, charred and black‑stained timber provides a protective skin and a visual connection to the coastal setting. A robust concrete plinth lifts the buildings above the ground, negotiating the changing topography and offering resilience against exposed conditions. Detailing is crisp and understated, drawing on the character of the Victorian chalets once found along the Towans but reinterpreted for contemporary living. Inside, every space is oriented toward the coast, allowing shifting skies, tides, and sunlight to animate daily life. The simplicity of form and material lets the wild beauty of the dunes and sea take precedence, creating homes that feel calm, open, and deeply connected to their surroundings.
