Very big thank you to journalist Carmen Forward for writing such a lovely piece for Sydney Morning Herald Domain. And thanks also to Steven Siewert for the great shots, Charlie and I loved playing with you!
Bronte Heritage Renovation: Restoring a Californian Bungalow for Modern Family Living
A Heritage Conservation Renovation in Bronte
There are moments in architectural practice that remind you why you do this work. Handing over the keys to this Bronte home last week was one of them.
Getting to know a client over years of collaboration is one of the quiet privileges of residential architecture. Over time, you come to understand not just what your clients want, but what a home genuinely needs to become for the way they live.
Working closely with this young family from the earliest conversations through to completion made this heritage renovation project especially rewarding. Watching them step into the house as their own felt like the perfect conclusion to a deeply considered transformation.
Restoring a 1930s Californian Bungalow in Sydney
When we first visited the property, it was immediately clear the original 1930s Californian Bungalow had lost much of its architectural integrity through a series of unsympathetic alterations over the decades.
These homes once defined the character of Sydney’s suburban streetscapes throughout the interwar period. Found across the Eastern Suburbs, Inner West and North Shore, Californian Bungalows remain some of Sydney’s most loved heritage homes - valued for their generous proportions, craftsmanship and enduring street presence.
Our approach to this Bronte heritage conservation renovation was grounded in restoration, respect and longevity: carefully recovering the original character of the home while creating a contemporary family residence designed for modern living.
Heritage Architecture Defined by Detail
In heritage architecture, authenticity is rarely achieved through large gestures. More often, it comes down to the specificity of the details - window proportions, material selection, landscape character and the subtle architectural elements that define a home’s identity.
For this Bronte bungalow renovation, that meant reinstating defining features of front exterior of the original Californian Bungalow architecture, including:
New front windows designed in keeping with the home’s original interwar proportions and style
A reconstructed low brick fence with characteristic masonry piers and tessellated tiles
Front rooms with pressed metal ceilings
A carefully curated heritage garden palette
These decisions were fundamental in returning a sense of dignity and authenticity to the original home.
Contemporary Architecture Behind a Heritage Home
While the front of the house carefully preserves its heritage character, the experience shifts as you move through the home.
Beyond the restored heritage façade, the house opens into a generous contemporary extension filled with natural light, warmth and connection to landscape. The new addition was designed to support modern family living - creating flexible communal spaces, stronger indoor-outdoor relationships and improved environmental performance.
The result is a home that balances heritage conservation with contemporary residential architecture: honouring where the house came from while supporting how this family wants to live today. Tradition meeting contemporary.
Habitus Living Feature | Pink House. Green House
A very big thank you to Habitus Living for featuring my renovated home in Surry Hills. It was a pleasure to chat with journalist, Dakota Bennett about the process of designing an inner-city nest for my daughters and I to live. Dakota captured my abstract thoughts and turned them into a wonderful read. Much appreciated!
Take a look at the article on Pink House | Green House here.
Before and After | Pink House. Green House
Never one to shy away from a challenge, the first inspection of what would become home was exactly that. Dark, cluttered, altered beyond recognition and 3.8 metres wide. North-facing with a space for a car - the bones were good. Everything else needed work.
I wanted quality over quantity. A home for my daughters and I to enjoy inner-city life - together, but with room to retreat. Light, calm, considered materials. Storage that worked hard and surfaces that stayed clear. A courtyard to eat in, a kitchen that invited conversation, and no more footprint than the earth already gave us.
From the Street In
The facade told a familiar story - incongruous canopy, mismatched shutters, a replaced window with no relation to the terrace's Victorian-Georgian origins. We stripped it back, restored the ashlar render, reinstated the double-hung windows and repainted in a considered pink - drawn from the 1865 City of Sydney site map. Heritage became the project's first and most powerful design move.
Light as Architecture
The staircase before was a dark brick corridor. Light was the project's central ambition. Skylights, a first-floor void, open oak and brass balustrades - light now filters through the full height of the home. The transformation is structural and spatial, not cosmetic.
Making Every Square Metre Count
Flush oak joinery conceals everything - pantry, fridge, services, storage. The island works from both sides. Micro cement wraps the bathrooms in one clean surface. Every material is considered. Nothing earns its place without earning it twice.
Built for the Future
Fully electric, solar-powered, continuously ventilated. A Semper Green Wall attracts bees to the rear facade. The garage roof is planted. Demolition bricks became paving. Old floor joists became a courtyard bridge. What was cluttered and unusable is now a sunny, north-facing courtyard - and a home built to last.
Progress from Above | Bronte Home
This aerial perspective captures what we love about adaptive architecture - honouring the past while building boldly for the future.
The heritage home renovation stands proud at street level, its character intact and protected. Behind it, a three-storey contemporary addition rises from deep excavation in challenging sandy soils. This luxury residential project demanded technical precision: engineering sophisticated propping systems to support original walls while carving out valuable basement space below. It's problem-solving that respects history.
Solar panels crown the new extension, bringing modern performance to heritage bones. We've chosen materials that speak to each other - copper roofing echoing the terracotta tiles of the original structure, robust off-form concrete anchoring the rear addition. It's heritage preservation with purpose.
That sculptural curved roof? It's functional beauty. On top sits a roof garden that will eventually cascade with greenery, softening the concrete and creating a living layer of insulation. Below, an indoor-outdoor living zone integrates pool, kitchen, and flexible family space - designed for the way people live and grow.
This is residential architecture as long-term thinking. We're creating custom homes that adapt, perform, and endure. Homes that contribute positively to their streetscapes while meeting the demands of contemporary family living. Homes that don't compromise between character and comfort, between heritage conservation and high performance design.
Bronte Project represents our architectural design philosophy: technically rigorous, contextually sensitive, and optimistic about what thoughtful architecture can achieve. We're building for resilience, flexibility, and the generations to come.
Thank you Josh Williams for the fab shots
And to our amazing team
Construction: PMD Build
Engineer: Partridge
Concrete: Wardle Construction
Podium Home - New Project Build Bronte
Introducing Podium Home, our new hidden-gem project in Bronte.
What began as a patchwork of styles - with long-standing damp issues - has become the starting point for a complete transformation.
Set back from the street, the site calls for thoughtful problem-solving: maintaining privacy while preserving views, integrating the heritage cottage, navigating construction via a narrow driveway, and enhancing a constrained footprint.
Podium Home approaches these challenges with a bold yet sensitive design. Building on the existing ground-floor structure, we’re creating a two-storey family home that opens fully to light, air and sense of place.
Standout feature?
A dramatic folded vaulted ceiling inspired by the sculptural geometry of a giant sea shell.
Drawing from nature's architecture - the rippling folds will capture and amplify northern light with organic luminosity to create an inner glow throughout the space.
Light. Open. Distinctive.
The result will be a home that feels expansive, calm and uniquely crafted - a place for our clients to love.
In the meantime, with limited access up a tight driveway, every stage requires choreography. Let’s dance!
This is the second home our client has asked Nick Bell Architects to design - we are very grateful for the trust. And also thank you to our team:
Lead Architect - Poppi Denison
Construction - PMD Build
Engineer - AD Consulting Engineers
And to Vic Au Yeung for capturing this exciting initial stage
Design FIT Health Clubs Chatswood Chase
We are stepping, flexing, lunging…………..into new territory. With more than 17 years designing residential architecture across Sydney, our studio has been appointed to create the flagship FIT Health Clubs - Chatswood Chase - a 3,300 square-metre fitness and wellness destination that reimagines what a modern health club can be.
This marks Nick Bell Architects first large-scale commercial project, bringing the same attention to detail, materials, and human-centered design that defines our residential work to a bold new setting.
A Vision for Holistic Wellness
FIT Health Clubs is owner-operated by a fitness professional with over 25 years of industry experience. The management team, together for more than a decade, understands what members truly need. Their brief was ambitious yet clear: create a world-class health club that feels more like a luxury wellness hotel than a traditional gym.
Spread across two floors, the new Chatswood facility will offer over 350 classes weekly across dedicated studios for HIIT, Cycle, Run Athletic, Reformer Pilates, Yoga, Barre, and Meditation, alongside open training zones for strength, cardio, and stretching.
Beyond Fitness: The Nurture Experience
What elevates this project apart is its commitment to recovery. The "Nurture" zone features traditional and infrared saunas, steam rooms, magnesium and ice plunge baths and massage suites - designed to support physical restoration and mental calm.
Residential Sensibility, Commercial Scale
Our approach brings warmth and tactile detail to every space. Natural timbers, soft lighting, and cool tones create individual studio identities within a cohesive whole.
Construction is now underway at Chatswood Chase, with completion expected in 2026. This project sets a new benchmark and offers itself as an example of how commercial architecture can be as nurturing and refined as the homes we create.
Project Team
Architects - Nick Bell Architects
Project Lead - Martina De Nadai
Project Manager - Mostyn Copper
Construction - Taylor
3D Renders Enscape
Progress Onsite Bronte
Our current project in Bronte is a listed heritage item. As such the original frontage was to be retained. Behind this facade are three stories of modern addition. In order to achieve this our team had to meet the challenge of excavating a large basement in sandy soil, whilst propping and retaining the heritage walls above.
Looking through the original frontage.
The connection from front to the new rear addition. Heritage meets contemporary design. Copper roofing nods to the terracotta tiling, while mortar extends to its new solid form in the concrete extension. Built to last.
The shell for the kitchen. A large frameless glass window will frame new lush landscaping.
Off form concrete creates a curved roof that doubles as a roof garden. We have used a washed cedar by Modinex to clad the ground floor ceiling that extends the indoor outdoor living area. Planting to cascade over the concrete and semi-circle column.
Stepping back to see the bigger picture. The ground floor is boarded – new Vitrocsa doors to be installed soon. Progress!
Big thanks to our team -
Construction: PMD Build
Engineer: Partridge
Concrete: Wardle Constuction
And thank you to Vic Au-Yeung for capturing the progress.
Location - Bronte | Bidiagal, Birrabirragal and Gadigal Land
Waverley Council
The Local Project - Corbel House - September 2025
Photo: Justin Alexander
Thrilled to see our project “Corbel House” featured in The Local Project. “Corbel House” was designed for a lovely family of five who dreamed of a contemporary, light-filled home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
With teenage and young adult children, our client wanted a home that would adapt as their family matured, while reflecting their deep love of design - particularly modernist architecture. Their waterfront block was magical but challenging: a narrow strip of land, steep slope, difficult site access, and strict council requirements.
As a Sydney architect used to working with complex sites, we turned to history for inspiration. Drawing on the mediaeval ‘corbel’ - a stepped form supporting weight - we designed a three-level, fully electric family home with a compact 75 sqm footprint that expands into 245 sqm of generous living space.
The corbel concept preserved the natural landscape while creating a bold architectural identity. Inside, bespoke elements - a curved steel staircase, concrete kitchen island, brass-detailed joinery, and floor to ceiling windows - bring everyday delight.
‘Corbel House’ shows how history and contemporary design can merge to create a sustainable, modern family home that feels both personal and enduring.
A wonderful article written by Brad Scahill for The Local Project using the photographs by Justin Alexander.
Big thank you to our team:
Builder: PMD Build
Concrete: Wardle Construction
Joiner: Interex Custom Joinery
Engineer: Partridge Engineers
Joiner Windows: Shamrock Joinery
Occupation - Bondi - August 2025
Bondi House
Earlier this year we completed our latest Bondi project and we are thrilled that our lovely client has moved in to enjoy their stunning family home.
This bespoke design showcases materials that thrive in Sydney's demanding coastal environment. The carefully chosen timber cladding and robust concrete structure aren't just aesthetically striking - they're engineered for longevity against salt air and coastal weather.
As Sydney architects with a long track record of coastal residential design, we understand that beachside living requires thoughtful material selection and climate-responsive architecture. Every detail, from the timber screening to the structural elements, reflects our dedication to creating homes that age beautifully while withstanding Sydney's every-changing coastal conditions. Building and designing for resilience is key.
Thank you to our client for entrusting us with their dream home and a big thank you to our team for making it come to life.
Construction: PMD Build
Joinery: Interex Joinery
Electricals: Vesh
Concrete: Wardle
Structural Engineering: Partridge
Landscaping: Even Spaces
Lead Architect: Nick Bell
Project Architects: Caleb Burke and Martina de Nadai
Construction Underway - Bronte - July 2025
Very excited to have started building on site with PMD Build for our wonderful client.
We had the pleasure of designing a modern extension on their previous home in Bronte - so it’s fabulous to be working with them again. This property is a unique location and we can’t wait to show you the progress.
Copenhagen - 3daysofdesign - June 2025
Hello from Nordhavn, Copenhagen. It is one of the districts featured in the annual 3daysofdesign - where the city opens up to design lovers to experience innovations from furniture to fittings and beyond. It was awesome! Design is valued in Copenhagen - you can see and feel it everywhere.
Nordhavn is an interesting new development - declared the model for the ‘five-minute city.’ It has put community and people at the heart of its urban planning - everything must be in walking distance. It blends old and new, industrial and residential - there are plenty of outdoor areas and sustainable and social living is at its core. They have also cleaned up the harbour so residents can swim….sauna….swim.
It was a pleasure to walk around the streets and a joy to visit the offices of BIG - Bjarke Ingels Group.
Construction Update - Bronte - May 2025
Digging deep on our Bronte project. Heritage elements are retained while maximising space by creating a new basement level - with PMD Build.
Photography - Clovelly Bungalow - April 2025
A very big thank you to our wonderful client for allowing us to come and play in her new home. We had a lot of fun putting the shots together and our gratitude to Justin Alexander for capturing the architecture and design details in his photography.
Thanks also to the following lovely businesses and suppliers who helped us:
Lighting | Euroluce
Art | Curatorial and Co
Linen | Cultiver + Co
Dive into the photos of Clovelly Bungalow here.
Discovered on Co-Architecture.
Design Development - Longueville - March 2025
Maximising your land space with long term thinking is smart. We have designed this addition to a heritage home in Longueville. Our lovely client wants to create a generous self-contained space to be enjoyed by family and friends. It needs to blend with the surroundings and also meet our client’s love of contemporary design. Sketchup and Enscape - 3D modelling make the design come to life.
Construction Update - Bondi - February 2025
Although this image of the rear facade may not look it, we are getting very close to completing our project in Bondi.
A new build, this contemporary home will be loving hub for a young and active family - just moments from the vibrancy of Bondi Beach.
Big thanks to PMD Build, our construction partners on this project - you’ve done a wonderful job!
Occupation - Clovelly Bungalow - January 2025
A very big thank you to our lovely client for giving us the opportunity to work with her on the creation of “Clovelly Bungalow”.
We love the distinctive frontage that pays homage to the California Bungalow, a style of architecture established from the 1920s in Sydney’s Eastern beach suburbs. Using concrete and timber cladding, the home ready to weather the salt and sea environment.
A big thank you to our team and all the suppliers we worked with on this project. Will be publishing the images on the Projects page soon, but in the meantime enjoy this photo by Justin Alexander.
Architect Project Team
Poppi Denison and Nick Bell
Construction | PMD Build
Concrete | Wardle Construction
Windows + Doors | Shamrock
Joinery | Interex
Abodo Timber Cladding
Lighting | Euroluce
Flooring | Eco Outdoor
We have a new home - December 2024
We’ve skipped over to Redfern and have landed in a gorgeous new office! Soaring ceilings, original detailing of 1930s Inter-war Georgian architecture and surrounded by coffee, art and design - happy days! Needless to say, our team has settled in quickly and we look forward to welcoming you.
There is street parking and there is also free parking at Surry Hills Village which a quick 5 minute walk.
Nick Bell Architects
12/17 Thurlow Street, Redfern
Our phone number remains the same 02. 9699 3572
Photography - Corbel House - November 2024
Corbel House, with its waterfront position and unique medieval features was a delight to photograph. Justin Alexander did a wonderful job at capturing the detail and the space. A very big thank you to our clients for letting us come in and play. You can see all of the images in our Projects portfolio.
Construction Underway - Bronte - October 2024
We have broken ground on our new project in Bronte! With heritage frontage existing, we are working on a new contemporary space in the back for our family to live and grow. Phil from PMD Build managing the construction - let’s do this!