We're excited to break ground on a new home overlooking Bilgola Beach on Sydney's Northern Beaches.
Every project has its own story, and this one begins with four diggers being craned onto a steep coastal site to excavate downhill around an existing Sydney Water sewer line. Before the house starts to emerge, careful planning, sequencing and groundwork are already underway.
Our clients came to us through a recommendation from a previous client, and we're delighted to be helping them create a home that will first serve as a beach house for their family before becoming their permanent home in retirement.
Reimagining a 1970s Beach House
The existing 1970s house occupies an extraordinary position overlooking Bilgola Beach, with private access to the shoreline via a bush track.
Despite its spectacular location, the home was divided into a series of small rooms that didn't fully embrace the uninterrupted ocean views or connection to the surrounding landscape.
Our design reimagines the property as a contemporary three-level beach house featuring four bedrooms, three generous living areas, a swimming pool and a gym. Every space has been carefully planned to strengthen the relationship between the home, the landscape and the ocean beyond.
Designing for a Challenging Coastal Site
One of the defining architectural features is the roof.
Inspired by the form of a stingray, the roof follows the natural contours of the steep site while making the most of the available building envelope. Its sculptural form isn't simply aesthetic - it also solves an important challenge. As the house faces south-west, the roof has been carefully shaped to introduce natural light from the north and east, creating bright, comfortable living spaces throughout the day while responding to the unique conditions of the site.
This approach reflects our belief that good residential architecture responds to both place and climate, allowing each site to inform the design.
Building on Steep Coastal Terrain
Building on Sydney's coastline presents challenges long before construction reaches the visible stages.
At Bilgola, construction sequencing is critical. The project begins at the coastal edge of the property, where tiered landscaping and extensive excavation establish the future building platform.
Four excavators have been craned onto the site to excavate downhill, carefully working around an existing Sydney Water sewer line while retaining elements of the original structure.
These early works create the foundations for everything that follows and are essential to ensuring the long-term success of the project.
Working with Experienced Coastal Builders
We're very pleased to be delivering this project alongside PMD Build, whose extensive experience constructing homes on Sydney's challenging coastal sites makes them an invaluable partner.
Complex sites demand close collaboration between architect, builder and consultants from the very beginning, and we're looking forward to seeing this carefully considered design take shape over the coming months.
We'll be sharing progress as construction continues.