Logistically and geographically, this is one of the most difficult access sites that Lawson & Lovell Building Services has ever encountered. The site is completely landlocked with no street address, driveway or even layback. The only access is via 32 public pedestrian steps on a steep grade.

The site shares boundaries with seven neighbouring properties, so it was a delicate negotiation to achieve the brief set by the client. The final result is testimony to the team effort of owner. Architect and Lawson & Lovell.

The ground floor was retained and replanned to incorporate the bedrooms, as well as provide a sunroom that overlooks the new swimming pool. A large deck was built on the northern side of the house to provide a connection between the ground floor living area and the landscaped garden. At the end of the deck a spiral staircase provides access to the first floor.

Landscaping included a new swimming pool excavated with a floating deck hovering over it. Tiling was provided to the pool and surrounds including the entry and stairs.

A new first floor was built consisting of large ope-plan living room, modern kitchen, dining and master bedroom suite. 

The windows are all black aluminium with some having black powder coat aluminium sunhoods attached for shading. A long high-level clerestory window allows natural light to the internal living space on the first floor and light flows down the stairwell into the lower ground floor.

On the façade of the home, easy lapped primed panel cladding by James Hardie was used on the top floor of the house with 30×30 battens to conceal the joints. Internally the floors have Tallowwood decking boards and Tallowwood flooring. The external decking is also Tallowwood.

Clever use of structural steel hides a difficult but necessary hydraulics detail and enables a cantilevered awning to span out and provide shade in the alfresco area overlooking the harbour views.

The main challenge in construction was the access. The existing demolition, excavation of the pool and site clearing all needed to have nearly 40 meters of conveyer belts running down the side of the public pathway and into a truck. This was particularly time consuming and labour intensive. Site access also made it difficult when heavy or bulky items such as the spiral stairs, structural steel, building materials had to be manually carried up the public stairs.

The outcome of this beautiful home is maximising the outlook to both the harbour and natural landscape features while masking neighbouring buildings. This was achieved through careful placement of openings and varying the sill and head heights to capture distinct picture views. The project embraces its site constraints, capitalising on its opportunities whilst providing privacy and producing a delightful and contemporary family home.