Private Residence

The east-facing coastal house was originally a 1970’s trophy home, perched on top of the cliff at Gordon’s Bay at the end of a quiet culdesac. Reimagined in by Luigi Roselli Architects, the walls of the courtyard have been clad with teal blue chevron mosaic tiles, reminiscent of the Blue Groper’s scales. When the sun shines, they appear intensely blue, while in the shade they take on a subdued green hue, becoming a backdrop to a lushly planted and rapidly growing subtropical garden.

Beyond the courtyard entry, the home’s main stair with its brass accents and woven feature screen can be glimpsed through a large single glass pane. When descending from the bedrooms each morning one experiences the unique feeling of descending directly into the garden; an archetypical experience that originated with the prehistoric pole houses and traditional high houses of the tropics.

Upstairs, the bedrooms themselves all possess magnificent views over the bay below. To provide privacy and protection from the elements for the master bedroom suite, Luigi Rosselli Architects created a variation on the theme of a veranda by constructing a covered shelter that, though fully glazed, may also be fully opened to catch the warmth and the breezes thanks to a complex system of vertical curved glass louvres, designed with the expertise of Tilt Industrial Design. Initially, the intention was to reuse the glass from a conservatory that dominated the living area, sadly however this was not possible as the tempered and laminated glass was not suitable for recycling. Instead, an emerald glass was obtained from our client’s neighbour – the owner of Australia’s largest glass producer, and custom cured and tempered; the intent was for the glass to shimmer in the sunlight like the scales of a fish. The glass louvres themselves are interconnected via a series of mechanical gears and chains that synchronise their operation. The whole assembly is constructed using high grade stainless steel, UV resistant resins, and exacting precision to withstand the harsh marine environment.

Emerald accents, such as those in the tile selections and sanitaryware, are present throughout and contrasting against the rich, warm tones of a American walnut woodwork and joinery, aged brass hardware, and the soft sandy hues of the stone tiles, these accents truly work to harmonise both the home to its surroundings and to the architectural concept.

Hammond Studio designed all of the interior’s bespoke joinery, crafted in American walnut timber and manufactured locally by Contemporary Furniture Design. Architecture by Luigi Roselli and interior also by Atelier Alwill.

Photography by Prue Ruscoe. © Hammond Studio