Rich with period details and blessed with good bones, this Bronte home required a sympathetic renovation to house the second generation of the home’s original owners. Architectural interventions include a new attic addition on the first floor, major alterations to the lower ground level and a basement cellar within the building’s original sandstone foundations.

The ground floor houses the kitchen, main living, and dining area and connects to a swimming pool and courtyard at the rear while a balcony was added at the home’s frontage. Benefiting from the site's sloped topography, the elevated balcony provides broad views of nearby Bronte and its headlands to the north and south.

On the lower ground floor, a concrete colonnade with paired columns that echo the timber detailing of the renovated home above articulates the entry. The floor also features four kids' bedrooms all centred around a common living area.

Concrete and stone materiality links the interior and exterior, while timber-framed glazing and wall cladding create a visual connection with the home’s landscaped embankment and the trees beyond.

This robust, minimal and modern aesthetic creates an interesting and considered counterpoint to the detailed plasterwork and homely furnishings of the level above.

The attic houses a master suite within the existing roof space and new dormers, resulting in dynamic shapes enhanced by a minimalist aesthetic.

Bathroom designs feature arched forms and rounded edges, which are complemented by a micro cement finish on the floors, walls, and ceilings. These spaces are a sanctuary in a home that otherwise embraces its location overlooking one of Australia’s busiest and most beautiful beaches.

Situated in a heritage conservation area, this new home build is a modern interpretation of the Victorian terrace typology. The home is stripped of ornament and introduces splayed walls and slab edges to create a carved-out monolithic form above a stone plinth podium.

Through close collaboration with the client, a furniture designer and interior architect, the design delivers comfortable family living while exhibiting an appreciation for high-end design aesthetics. Large internal spaces and a pared-back material palette help showcase the client’s custom-designed furniture collection while adding a sense of grandeur to a home with a relatively small footprint.

At the rear of the two-story home, a garage and studio combine with landscaped perimeter walls to provide privacy and shelter to the courtyard and pool area, while still allowing natural light into the house. The glazing is carefully curated to maximize views and natural light while also ensuring privacy.

Built by Create Constructions
Furniture by Reddie
Photography by Dianna Snape

Perched on a ridge overlooking a forested gully outside of Berry, Bellawongarah House celebrates the natural beauty of its surroundings and the independent spirit of rural living.

Comprising a series of single-level linked pavilions, this off-grid home spreads out into its setting to provide a relaxing counterpoint to the space constraints and stresses of city living.

Inside, communal spaces benefit from high ceilings, north-facing glazing and a light colour palette, while a darker palette in other areas accentuates the sense of luxury, sanctuary and shelter. Views of the surrounding bush are framed through considered window placement.

Outside, an infinity pool and cantilevered terrace take advantage of the building’s views out over the surrounding landscape and provide a sense of resort-style luxury.

Off-grid and powered by a rooftop solar array, Bellawongarah House utilises passive design principles, while careful consideration is given to mitigate the threat of bushfires.

Built by Morrow Building
Photography by Tim Shaw

The substantial renovation of this semi-detached dwelling in Bronte provides its occupants with a relaxed modern home that remains deeply respectful of its past.

Entering from the street onto an elevated ground floor, the main living area benefits from views over the surrounding houses, while moving upstairs, the first floor sits comfortably amongst the treetops.

Anchoring the home to both its location and its long history in this beach-side suburb, the lower ground floor retains the original brick and sandstone walls.

At the centre of the plan, a double-height void with highlight windows above the kitchen and dining area brings in an abundance of natural light and helps expose the building’s internal structure.

Built by Keedah
Photography by Robert Gray

Situated on the southern side of a new build dual occupancy, Randwick House is designed to maximise natural light, despite being shaded from the north by its adjoining neighbour. An internal double-height void above the dining area bathes the downstairs areas in light and gives volume and grandeur to the communal areas of this subdivided suburban block.

Raw materials, such as brick, timber and marble add texture and a natural patina to a mostly monochrome interior palette. Within this pared-back aesthetic, a marble kitchen island bench acts as a focal point while lush tropical landscaping adds to the building’s relaxed coastal ambience.

Built by Cowan Constructions
Photography by Robert Gray

This modern addition to an existing double-fronted Victorian cottage respects the heritage value of the existing home both in materiality and form. A pitched roof references that of the original, while bricks from the demolished section of the house have been cleaned and reused to lend authenticity to the new areas. While these considerations connect the extension to its historical context, a palette of raw and natural material, such as timber and steel link it to the surrounding landscape.

Connectedness is also central to the layout of internal spaces. These are arranged around a central paved BBQ and entertaining area, allowing for a natural indoor/outdoor flow.

To complement these communal spaces, others, such as the window seat overlooking the pool, are more contemplative, while deep window reveals allow for privacy without obstructing views of the garden and surrounding areas.

Built by TMT Building
Photography by Robert Gray

Utilising a palette of natural materials, including marble, granite and sandstone, this row of three terrace-style residences reflects an urban sensibility while embracing and blending into its coastal setting. Anchoring the building, off form concrete is used to create splayed forms, ribbed external facades and internal ceiling, wall and floor finishes. Timber wall panelling and flooring adds warmth and additional texture to the interiors, which are well lit by highlight windows situated to maximise north sun. Folding and sliding screens manage privacy and shading.

Each of the residences is unique and designed to make the most of views and solar access while creating privacy for the occupants. The main living areas are on the slightly elevated ground floor. An open plan approach is taken to the layout of the kitchen, dinning and living areas to make the most of views and solar access. The second and third bedrooms are situated on the lower ground floor. The master suite is located on the first floor, which enjoy panoramic views of the ocean and surrounding area.

Built by SFN Constructions
Photography by Michael Nicholson
Completed: 2016

This new-build, multi-residential development of four townhouses in North Bondi showcases medium-density living of a reproducible type and scale. All four homes sit comfortably on a standard size suburban block and contribute positively to the surrounding neighbourhood. Finely-crafted folding western red cedar timber screens provide privacy to the cantilevered balconies at the front of the building and add a layer of architectural detailing to ensure it presents well to the street. The warmth of the timber screens is contrasted with the robust off-form concrete of the ground floor façade and front boundary wall.

Inside, windows and skylights are used to create a light and spacious interior in response to the constraints implicit in situating four three-bedroom homes on a single suburban block. Highlight windows are used throughout the project to maximise natural light and give views to the sky and neighbouring trees, while skylights above the large stair void bring cool natural light in from above.

While each unit is unique, the building as a whole retains a coherent design aesthetic with interior materials and detailing a continuation of the building’s exterior.

Built by TMT Building
Photography by Michael Nicholson
Completed: 2016

Set over two levels, this spacious new-build home pays special attention to the composition of forms through detailing and the choice of natural and raw materials. 

On the ground level, a concrete plinth creates a solid base for the cantilevered rooms above, which add interior space to the upper level without extending the building’s footprint. Splayed deep window reveals on the upper level mirror the solidity of the plinth. As a counterpoint, western red cedar soffits warm and soften the exterior, while timber screens manage privacy and shading

At the heart of the home, a central courtyard captures north light. Large windows facing onto the courtyard allow this light deep into the building’s spacious open-plan interior. 

Completed: 2018  

Rising four storeys from a sandstone plinth, this dual occupancy building on the Tamarama waterfront blends gently with the natural contours of the area’s topography.

The use of strong horizontal elements, such as the terraced balconies that open up expansive views from each of the occupancies, help the structure settle into its location. This is further enhanced through a raw and robust palette of exterior finishes, such as stone and concrete. These are contrasted through the use of operable hardwood screens that soften the exterior while also helping control light levels and privacy.

The inclusion of a natural stone swimming pool with an infinity edge further adds opulence and amenity to the building.

This renovation provides an abundance of natural light and an increased sense of space not typical of terraced houses.

Without the option to bring light in from either side of the house, a plate metal stair with open risers, which leads to the second floor, is incorporated to bring light down into the house from a skylight above. Large skylights above the kitchen also bring light to the ground floor.

A soft interior palette and burnished concrete floor in the kitchen and living area help bounce light throughout the house and provide a relaxed ambience. Modern components were carefully designed to complement the home's original features to create a harmonious relationship between the old and the new.

A first-floor nursery with its picture bay window and an attic dormer window provides a visual connection to the streetscape and the iconic Paddington rooftops.

This warm and inviting family home sits comfortably within its coastal setting. The design is a practical response to a difficult site and also a modern take on a traditional beach house aesthetic.

The topography of the site presented a challenge to the arrangement of new and existing spaces and their connection to a steeply sloping ground plane. In response to this, new-build areas of the house are lowered a half level to connect interior living spaces seamlessly with the large deck, pool and landscaped rear yard. This creates opportunity for soaring ceilings and dramatic internal volumes.

The renovation uses traditional materials and techniques as a nod to the ‘beach house’ typology. This is combined with a bold sandstone street elevation, which emulates the texture and colour of nearby cliffs and public retaining walls.

Modern elements of the home, like the double height spaces and large glazed openings, combine well with more traditional elements. The symmetry of the front facade gives an easy street presence to the home and allows a double garage to be integrated without imposition.

The majority of the new building work has been constructed using sustainably sourced timber with walls insulated to minimise heating and cooling loads. Landscaped areas of the site are maximised with mature trees at the front of the site retained. The internal spaces of the home are light and bright with large glazed openings sized, screened and orientated to ensure maximum comfort levels in the internal spaces. Large roof eaves shade the windows of the top floor bedrooms, which combine with a large ventilated ceiling void to keep sleeping areas cool year round.

Completed: 2017

Celebrating its location overlooking Bronte Beach, this renovated bungalow embraces a relaxed beach house aesthetic. Outside, painted weatherboards, large eaves and timber lining boards set the scene for a robust interior of concrete and stone that contribute to a relaxed and unfussy vibe.

Much of this atmosphere comes from a central stair void with clerestory windows that brings natural light and a relaxed spacious opulence into the heart of the structure.

In reconfiguring the home, care was taken to retain the proportions of the previous layout. The kitchen is situated to maximise views over the gully to the ocean, while the outdoor areas are designed in response to the topography of the site.

Situated on a sloping corner site with a north aspect, the alteration and addition to this Bondi house was informed by both light and topography. To address the sloping site, a cascading floor plane drops down two sets of steps from the front to the rear of the house culminating in a sunken lounge, which opens out through bifold doors onto a rear courtyard. The resulting high ceiling in the lounge area allows for highlight windows above the bifold doors. External shutters are employed to filter light and create privacy. 

The use of traditional building materials and techniques is contrasted with modern forms, including large roof eaves and pop out forms. The material palette consists of European Oak, marble, concrete and v-groove lining boards. A timber lined bay window lends additional space and function to the dining area.  

Completed: 2017

The grand entry lobby of this renovated brick bungalow in South Coogee is a fitting introduction to the rustic country charms expressed through the design of its interior. The opulent scale of the lobby is extended through to the large north-facing balconies and over-sized picture windows, which maximise light and take advantage of the expansive ocean views.

As a counterpoint, more intimate spaces, such as the library, offer a sense of sanctuary.

Outside, an elevated pool and deck soak up the view and offer ample outdoor space to relax and recreate.