Deepwater house Bondi

On a spectacular site, Deepwater celebrates its iconic location at Bondi Beach, Australia. Commissioned by a well-travelled couple in their 60’s, the house is a platform, a relaxing place to accommodate family and friends and a container for their most treasured possessions.

Designed by Tobias Partners the house is perched on the high tide line at Bondi Beach, harsh environmental conditions and limited access dictated the form and fabric of the robust outer shell, which sits quietly among its neighbours on Ben Buckler Point. To counteract the relentless activity outside and achieve design clarity throughout, the design employs a sense of intentional restraint: a consistent material palette allows indoor and outdoor spaces flow seamlessly.

Divided into a classical-style vertical and horizontal grid, the five levels are treated subtly differently. Ceiling heights vary and rooms and balconies sit within and project beyond the exoskeleton, an approach that overcomes the site’s modest footprint.

The deliberately spare interiors feature hand-crafted joinery and hardware. A carefully curated display of paintings, sculptures, furniture and heirlooms evokes memories of travel and family history, with some newly commissioned artworks that converse with the architecture.