Tristan Burfield designed No. 23, a compact 50-square-meter cabin in Aireys Inlet along Victoria's Great Ocean Road, as an experimental annex for an extended family's holiday gatherings. The building occupies a 1,200-square-meter coastal site and comprises four distinct rooms: a main bedroom with ensuite, a separate bunkroom, an external bathroom, and circulation spaces that frame a central courtyard. Despite its modest scale, the cabin embodies an intensely critical design methodology where every element—from tap handles to window frames—undergoes reconsideration. This approach yields exceptional resourcefulness, demonstrating how architectural intelligence can elevate limited budgets and small footprints into profound spatial experiences.
The design philosophy rejects predetermined solutions, treating each component as an opportunity for invention. Burfield's method echoes modernist ateliers where designers like Eileen Gray, Jean Prouvé, and Charlotte Perriand reimagined everyday objects through material experimentation. Nothing is assumed or taken for granted in No. 23; every decision emerges from questioning conventional practices. This critical stance produces subtle innovations that accumulate into a cohesive architectural statement. The result feels both contemporary and timeless, grounded in historical precedent while addressing present-day challenges of bushfire compliance and coastal durability.
The L-shaped plan strategically separates sleeping zones while creating an intimate courtyard that extends usable space outdoors. Corridors are eliminated to maximize efficiency, creating what Burfield describes as a "subtle tightness" that encourages mindful movement. The bunkroom accesses externally and through a sliding hotel-style door from the bedroom, while the bathroom remains exclusively reachable from outside—unconventional arrangements that prioritize privacy and ventilation. This layout demonstrates how strategic planning can make small spaces feel generous through careful sequencing and outdoor connections. The courtyard becomes an outdoor room that mediates between the cabin's two wings.
Material experiments define the project's character, particularly in the custom-fabricated sinks. The outdoor bathroom features a five-millimeter thick galvanized steel box that continues up the wall to frame the window and mirror, creating a robust, textured surface. The ensuite sink recesses into the vanity with precise alignment to 6-by-14 tile dimensions, showcasing meticulous craftsmanship. Steel frames distinguish operable windows and doors from fixed-pane glass framed in timber, with solid panels at the base meeting bushfire regulations. A folded sheet metal awning, paper-thin like origami, extends overhead with two chains draped loosely as scaffolds for creepers.
Product specifications reveal the level of detail: Klip-Lok roofing in Colorbond Windspray, Blackbutt shiplap cladding from Barwon Timber treated with Cutek Extreme CD-50, and custom steel doors by Riva Fab. Interior surfaces feature Stringybark shiplap from Urban Salvage and Inax Sugie Series tiles, while lighting includes Forte wall lights from About Space and Flos Gustave table lamps. The custom stainless steel vanity with random orbital polish pairs with Brodware City Stik tapware in Brushed Nickel. These selections demonstrate how curated material palettes create richness without extravagance.
Burfield believes architecture's role transcends artistic ego or functional complacency, focusing instead on understanding, critical thinking, and incremental improvement. No. 23 proves that small projects can carry substantial intellectual weight, with each considered decision contributing to durability, ease of movement, and lasting experience. The cabin stands as a testament to how young architects can realize ambitious ideas through rigorous process and material innovation. Its completion offers a model for sensitive coastal development that respects both environmental constraints and human comfort, suggesting a future where architectural quality isn't measured by scale but by thoughtfulness.
