This resort style home designed by Australian architects Turner Studio sits on a cliff in Bilgola, New South Wales, overlooking scenery that is arguably the home’s best feature. Although architecture lovers might dispute that point – a series of sculptural, stacked glass and wood terraces sit at different angles, each framing vistas of the lushly landscaped grounds, the foamy waves rolling along the sandy coast, and the private outdoor entertaining areas accessed through expansive glass doors. C’mon in!
Lining each floor, upper level terraces and ground-floor walkouts connect the home to nature, and with a setting like this, you couldn’t have it any other way. While the steep site posed some challenges, it appears that the design was certainly worth the trouble!
“The house steps down the site and is articulated into three legible elements taking cues from a traditional tripartite design of forming a base, middle and top,” explain the architects. “The solid ‘base’ with recessed openings anchors the house to the site with external walls extending out from the house to form landscaped retaining walls and steps which are located at natural ground level or below.”
The house features a warm mix of materials, including stone, wood, steel and of course, plenty of glass.
The arching walls follow the L shaped layout. At the crux of its two wings, a private alfresco living area is overlooked by expansive glazed facades that invite views and light in.
And the outside of the house is as chic as interiors. A deep exterior stairway leads down into the sunken patio area, finished with stone walls that give it a warm, intimate cave appeal.
Through the sliding glass walls, indoors and outdoors flow into one another. The wood wrapping the terrace works its way inside, as do the tiled floors and the ocean breeze.
Imagine waking up to this dreamy scene every morning! Whether you’re taking in the scenery from indoors through massive picture windows, or firsthand sitting on the terrace, nature is an ever present fixture. The terraces are topped with angled roofs, providing shade to the balconies and interiors without compromising the views.
The outdoor living areas trickle down the hillside, well past the house proper. We love how the wood decking integrates the landscape into the design.
The elegance and sweet serenity make this a resort style house to rival any 5-star getaway!
Turner Studio
