alexander symes revamps kite-like house in australia with solar power and recycled materials

Alexander Symes revives Cake House with recycled materials

Alexander Symes Architects reimagines a sharp, kite-shaped home once used as a wayfinding marker by local surfers in the coastal town of Mollymook, Australia. Known by locals as the Cake House, the unique geometry of the original structure became the anchor point for a sustainable, future-proof renovation. The updated residence sticks to the original footprint, operates entirely on electricity, and generates a net surplus of 7,000 kWh per year thanks to an on-site photovoltaic system. It balances passive design strategies with passive house principles, allowing the dwelling to operate in both high-performance sealed mode and naturally ventilated open mode, depending on the season.

all images by Barton Taylor

the residence achieves a projected negative carbon footprint

The Sydney-based Alexander Symes’ design team reused as much of the existing structure and materials as possible, including concrete, aluminum cladding, hardwood windows, and an in-ground 30,000-liter rainwater tank. New materials, including recycled hardwood cladding, carbon-neutral concrete, and tapware from Sussex, were chosen for durability and low embodied carbon. Instead of extending outward, the architects worked within the original building’s footprint, reshaping the landscape to form a coastal deflection berm that buffers surf surges and connects the house back to the land through outdoor rooms, stepped seating, and native planting.

The living spaces maximize sea views and natural light. A flexible layout supports large gatherings without feeling crowded, while the lower-level bedrooms form a thermal bunker—cool in summer, warm in winter, and structurally robust in a changing climate. The home achieves a projected negative carbon footprint over 55 years, continuing to offset carbon long after. The site, sitting in a designated 2100 Coastal Hazard Zone, also supports local biodiversity. A Norfolk Pine was replaced with an endemic species, monzonite rock from the site was reused for landscaping, and all new hardscaping features permeable surfaces.

Alexander Symes Architects reimagines a sharp, kite-shaped home