Inspired by the urban waterside dwellings of the islands of Veneto in Italy, Paddington-based Tobias Partners Architects were tasked with the challenge to encapsulate the Venetian vibe in this concrete-clad modern beach house overlooking Bondi Beach in Australia.
After living in a classic Neo-Georgian home for the past 25 years, the clients, a couple in their 60s, were looking for a new and contemporary home; one, which allowed them to have groups of friends and family over, while also playing host to their extensive collection of treasured possessions, acquired during their lifetime of travels.
Their new home, which is perched on the rocky shores of Bondi, sits in harmony with its surroundings, but also keeps the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area from entering the home. ‘The clients wanted to embrace that, but they didn’t want a beach house specifically. Knowing that Bondi is busy, vibrant and urban, they wanted an interior that was quiet and zen-like, that would be calming’, says Nick Tobias, lead architect on the project and founder of Tobias Partners.
The minimalist interior leaves nowhere to hide when it comes to details and finishes, so the architects ensured everything was made using the best, expert craftsmanship; high quality joinery exists alongside bespoke cabinetry, hand made bricks, and custom made window frames and doors. Each of the home’s five spacious floors are treated uniquely. The bedrooms are deliberately compressed in height for a more intimate atmosphere, but are more sparsely furnished. This is in direct contrast to the more public living area - placed closest to the shore - which is ‘richly decorated’ and intended to be warm, homely and inviting.
Taking the client's considerations in mind, the house can be ingeniously divided into two separate apartments. Each one has its own defined entrance allowed by the addition of a ‘timber-batten’ folding screen in the main entrance. The open-tread staircase, which runs through the property, enhances the flow of light and air highlighted by the serene material palette, which creates a seamless transition throughout the different rooms of this warm and comforting seaside home.
The clients - a couple in their 60’s - requested a contemporary multifunctional home, one which allowed for friends and family to visit with ease
The newly constructed property, perched on the rocky shores of Bondi Beach was designed to keep the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area from entering within the property. Requesting a ’zen-like’ interior which would be calming and serene
After living in a classic Neo-Georgian home for the previous 25 years, the clients were looking for a new residence that could comfortably house themselves and their collection of treasure which they had accumulated over their lifetime of travels
The home’s minimalist interior highlights the properties intricate details and finishes. High quality craftsmanship is utilized throughout the property; custom joinery, bespoke cabinetry, hand made bricks and custom made doors and windows all come together to give the home its warm and comforting environment
Each of the home’s public areas are treated uniquely, the private areas are sparse and enclosed, creating a calm privacy. The public areas open, with a higher ceiling height, also being ’richly furnished’ consequently creating a warm and homely space for its inhabitants
Carefully placed balconies and screens provide privacy and much needed protection from the elements, also adding a platform to observe the spanning views across Bondi’s ’crescent shaped’ bay
The interior is enriched with the owners’ collection of favourite possessions, consisting of family heirlooms, artwork and diverse pieces of furniture
The home’s bedrooms have a lower ceiling height than the public areas of the property, the intention was to initiate a cosy and privatised atmosphere
The ’constant’ material palette used assures that the indoor and outdoor spaces flow seamlessly throughout the property
The floors are divided into a classical style vertical and horizontal grid, this allows for rooms and balconies to be recessed or projected from the structure, adapting to their required location, function and desired outlook
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Tobias Partners website
-
Fendi celebrates 100 years with all-out runway show at its new Milan HQIn the wake of Kim Jones’ departure, Silvia Venturini Fendi took the reins for a special co-ed A/W 2025 collection marking the house’s centenary, unveiling it as the first act of celebrations within Fendi’s expansive new headquarters in Milan
-
‘Leigh Bowery!’ at Tate Modern: 1980s alt-glamour, club culture and rebellionThe new Leigh Bowery exhibition in London is a dazzling, sequin-drenched look back at the 1980s, through the life of one of its brightest stars
-
Inside the unexpected collaboration between Marni’s Francesco Risso and artists Slawn and SoldierNew exhibition ‘The Pink Sun’ will take place at Francesco Risso’s palazzo in Milan in collaboration with Saatchi Yates, opening after the Marni show today, 26 February
-
A suburban house is expanded into two striking interconnected dwellingsJustin Mallia’s suburban house, a residential puzzle box in Melbourne’s Clifton Hill, interlocks old and new to enhance light, space and efficiency
-
Palm Beach Tree House overhauls a cottage in Sydney’s Northern Beaches into a treetop retreatSet above the surf, Palm Beach Tree House by Richard Coles Architecture sits in a desirable Northern Beaches suburb, creating a refined home in verdant surroundings
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie StathakiThe top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
-
A monolithic house in rural Victoria celebrates 50 shades of greyAdam Kane Architects’ monolithic house in rural Victoria, Grey House, is ‘a testament to the power of simplicity and harmony’
-
Is Rochester Street Office a creative worker’s dream? Inside a Sydney workspace echoing calmness and lightRochester Street Office by Allied_Office merges utilitarian design with cascading vegetation, presenting a thriving environment for creativity and collaboration
-
A Melbourne family home draws on classic modernism to create a pavilion in the landscapeThis Melbourne family home by Vibe Design Group was inspired by midcentury design and shaped to be an extension of its verdant site
-
Tour Clifton House, an airy Bondi family home, brimming with natural light and foliageClifton House by Anthony Gill Architects is a North Bondi home using an abundance of vegetation to create a slice of privacy within the suburbs
-
Tour this compact Melbourne home, where a small footprint is big on efficiency and experimentationNorthcote House is designed by architects David Leggett and Paul Loh as their own home in Melbourne
