Sandy Bay Houses

This project was an opportunity for us to implement a careful, sustainable approach to urban consolidation. Four houses are carefully placed on a steep waterfront property in Sandy bay, using a pin-wheel planning strategy to place the houses comfortably on the site.

This approach has minimised the impact on neighbours, enabled direct vehicle and pedestrian access within the development and maximises each property’s view of the River Derwent.

Presenting a single-storey street frontage, the houses provide continuity to the streetscape, complemented by textural plantings at the entrances to the property. The four houses have been terraced to work with the site’s natural topography and give residents direct access to a variety of external spaces.

The exterior bulk and scale of each house was reduced by using materials such as metal roofing, exposed steel framework and timber cladding on the first floor, sitting over more solid plinths below. Inside, each home features broad views of the river and eastern shore with a natural interior palette, highlighted with bolder colours, acting as a backdrop to the view.

Large decks, garden areas and terraces extend from the main living spaces to the north and east, providing good solar access for each of the houses. Regenerated native foreshore vegetation will also soften views of the houses from the waterfront over time.