By Lori Zimmer, Source: Inhabitat

Houses are no longer inert structures that take abuse from the sun, wind, or rain. Take the gorgeous façade of Andrew Burges Architects’ Pittwater House in Australia, which protects its inhabitants from the elements with a series of adjustable timber guards. Set along a plot of land facing the beach in Sydney, Australia, the home is a modern beach house for a retired couple and their children and grandchildren. Clad in simple stone and timber, the extendable screens along the beachfront façade enable the family to adjust both privacy and natural shade as the sun moves across the sky each day.

See more: Inhabitat