Hidden beyond the mangroves of the Tweed River and just a short bush walk through a protected coastal reserve from Dreamtime Beach, Cal Somni stands as a tranquil retreat designed for contemplation and connection with nature. The garden pavilion, whose name means "house of dreams" in Catalan, offers a flexible space that adapts to its users' desires – whether for yoga practice, reading, afternoon siestas, entertaining friends, or simply dangling one's feet off the deck while listening to native birds.
Located in Booninybah/Fingal Head, a narrow peninsula in northern New South Wales, Cal Somni represents the creative vision of owners and designers Nigel Chouri and Crick King of We Are Blankslate. After spending two decades living in Barcelona, the duo returned to Australia and crafted this sculptural structure as a tribute to the Australian landscape they had longed for during their urban years abroad.
The pavilion sits strategically on the foundation of an old shed, positioned behind a thoughtfully renovated beach shack that the same designers transformed. Drawing inspiration from their Barcelona experience, Chouri and King created an intermediate courtyard space paved with recycled bricks, making the area between buildings an extension of the architecture itself – an inviting spot perfect for enjoying morning coffee or evening wine.
Cal Somni exemplifies a careful balance between aesthetic beauty and practical resilience, developed in partnership with local construction company Bare Build to withstand the water that frequently moves across the peninsula. The structure utilizes the existing concrete slab from the original shed and elevates the building to resist potential flooding. Interior materials including tiled floors, cement board, and hardwood timber were specifically chosen for their ability to endure the challenging maritime climate.
The pavilion's floating deck creates an impression of weightlessness, enhanced by operable walls that fully immerse users within the surrounding landscape. Regardless of weather conditions, outdoor seating remains accessible thanks to large custom aluminum-framed sliding doors that open completely, while 1200-millimeter eaves provide essential shade and protection from both sun and rain. Even when closed, transparent polycarbonate cladding allows dappled light and dancing tree shadows to filter through, maintaining the connection to nature.
This dreamy experience of living lightly within the landscape combines with weighted practicality that fundamentally encourages users to remember the simplicity, appropriate scale, and functional utility that once characterized traditional beach shacks. As an embracing yet unrestricted pavilion, Cal Somni delivers a space for pausing and reflecting on humanity's relationship with the environment – acknowledging that nature will eventually reclaim what it has temporarily shared.
