Architect Rob Mills has built a weekend retreat beside Australia's Great Ocean Road, with a simple interior that allows the view to take centre stage.
Ocean House combines the clean lines of a contemporary concrete house with the warmth and tactility of a humble beach house.

Located along one of the world's most scenic coastal drives, it is a vacation home for Mills and his family.
"As a family we have holidayed on the Great Ocean Road for generations," the architect told Dezeen. "My great grandfather was the first to holiday there; it is a place where my family and I have created many wonderful memories."

Mills chose to give the house a subtle interior, to better suit the idyllic setting. Pale concrete surfaces are complemented by whitewashed wood and monochrome furnishings. But the effect isn't minimalist, according to Mills, rather it is subtle and calm. "I don't see the design as being stark," he said. "The interior is organic and tactile, and incorporates neutral fabrics."

The same aesthetic continues outside, where stucco surfaces are intended to match the light colour of local tree bark.
"The design respects the environment it is nestled within," Mills added. "If it was rich in colour, the connection to the outdoors would be lost."

Built on a steeply sloping site between ocean and woodland, the seven-bedroom house is divided over three storeys.

Both living spaces and bedrooms are divided over the gro...