We are excited to introduce our latest project we are currently designing in Sydney. For over 15 years we have been building projects in Sydney, and it’s an area we have always enjoyed working in. The city’s topology and climate encourage different conversations and ultimately requires a distinctive architectural response. We’ve been lucky to have had several projects situated on the harbour where we feel a robust dialogue between the building and beautiful views over the bay.
The design for the Balgowlah Heights Residence has now moved from a concept stage to a defined plan and form.
It has been a pleasure developing the ideas for the project with our clients who are enthusiastic and open to new ideas and willing to push the boundaries to create their family home.
The proposed design is a series of stepped terraces that traverse the steeply sloping site and opens directly onto the foreshore of Reef Bay. While the main focus of the house is the harbour view which is to the East of the site, it was important to design each of the house’s five levels around a large north-oriented light well. This ensures all aspects of the house feels light-filled and multi-directional. Each level is a well-defined zone which acts as an individual self-contained area which helps avoid extraneous circulation between levels. The steeply sloping garden of the original house will be replaced with a large landscaped podium with pool and cabana on one level looking over the abutting beach of Reef Bay.
While the house occupies five levels, the visible portion of the design is an understated structure which reveals little to the street. The simplicity hints that there may be more than meets the eye.
The proposed building’s clean-lined, open spaces are designed to be made from limestone and concrete. In contrast, darker timber will be used in localised areas to create contrasting spaces for specific usages like theatres and TV rooms. The way the building is carved into the slope of the site creates moments where the Sydney limestone is revealed and even carried internally to create strong connectivity to the location.