Boscombe’s beach huts: reinvented for the 21st century. The self-contained hut is restyled into linkable semi-detached pairs, making them inclusive to disabled users whilst still retaining the essence and intimacy of what a beach hut actually is…a simple shelter, practical to use, easily constructed and visually recognisable from its distinctive profile.
Our design for the “Boscombe Boardwalk Beach Hut” is derived from traditional beach-side boardwalks found throughout the world. The roof profile is created by ‘peeling’ a section of the boardwalk upward from the ground, creating a wave-like ripple which echoes the pitched roof design of the original beach huts.
The new huts shelter below this roof, and, in contrast to the weathered finish of the boardwalk, are brightly painted in the traditional seaside postcard colours of blue, yellow, green and red.
Timbers for the boardwalk deck and roof should be reclaimed from redundant seaside structures where possible. New timber would be obtained from sustainable sources and the cladding to the huts would be painted softwood, reusing selected timbers from the existing beach huts on the site.
Apertures in the cladding and roof would have perspex inserts for both economy and security, allowing light to permeate into the huts from all sides. Privacy and security would be maintained by providing each door with a shuttered window, allowing for views out and natural light in, even when the hut is occupied with the doors closed.
The pockets and projections of the roof, rising out of the deck, are permanent features providing shelter and shade. Three doors, one single and a pair of folding, provide wind breaks without the need for complicated mechanisms.
Our design respects the history and iconic imagery of the traditional beach hut. It adopts their fundamental characteristics and re-presents them for the 21st century.
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