As is often noted, despite its massive interior, Australia is very much a coastal loving nation. All our major cities are located by the sea, and as the most recent ‘State of the Environment Report’ points out, approximately 85 per cent of Australians live within 50 km of the coast.

Drilling deeper into the same document, we see that 50 percent us live within just 7 km of the sea, while one in 10 residential homes can be found within 1 km of the sea.

Beyond the lifestyle attractions, this last statistic has some challenging implications. For buildings, proximity to the ocean equates to a range of problems, including a higher incidence of wind and sand damage, moisture-related issues such as damage caused by mould and pests, and salt-induced corrosion.

In this session of CPD Live, “Coastal Architecture – Designing for Salt, Sun & Storm” we examine all these issues and consider the best ways of addressing them. Pointing to real-life case studies to illustrate their points, our speakers highlight the various design strategies, building products, and materials that are worth considering in this context. They explain how architects can help minimise the negative consequences of coastal proximity and empower Australians to continue their love affair with the beach lifestyle.

At the end of this presentation, you should be able to:

Understand how coastal environments influence building performance and durability
Recognise how environmental conditions vary with distance from the coastline and the implications for building design and material selection
Identify and outline the regulations that apply to the construction of various types of buildings in coastal environments
Explain the various design and material-focused strategies that specifiers can follow to enhance the longevity, resilience, and performance of buildings located near the coast.

AACA NSCA Competency Standards related to this session:

PC 12 – PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
PC 16 – PRACTICE MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
PC 24 – PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
PC 28 – PROJECT INITIATION AND CONCEPTUAL DESIGN

Architecture & Design Team

DECO Australia

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