WARRIEWOOD HOUSE III

Perched above the Carigal land in Northern Beaches, Warriewood House III is a robust but welcoming retreat that emphasizes the simple pleasures of a coastal holiday home. This refined new house delivers an immersion in the immediate and sometimes wild sea-side setting, offering its owners a tranquil oasis away from the daily bustle.

Warriewood is an exclusive locale on the northern edge of New South Wales’ Northern Beaches. This house is a reference to the statement “Always was, always will be, Aboriginal Land”, the design approach manages to deliver several important aspects for its appreciative owner, and the Studio DAO team has made good on some clearly articulated shared aspirations to get to a satisfying result.

The site slopes and drops slightly to the western boundary, working in sections throughout the design process enabled careful consideration of site levels and detailed exploration of the building’s relationship with the ground upon which it sits. A front courtyard, a semi covered terrace soften the building’s interface with the landscape and encourage connections by creating spaces protected from the summer sun, driving rain, and wind.

The west facing façade creates a contrast of solid and openness. The upper floor is rectangular box perched high and pivots to form a soffit with large openings, drawing the bush land view close. In contrast, the lower floor is a solid form with natural stone cladding, deep window reveals create privacy and form places to rest. This terrace space was inspired by the infamous Can Lis in the Mediterranean Sea of Mallorca by Danish Architect Jørn Utzon.

The material palette has been carefully refined and selected to endure a harsh environment and to resist bushfire. The balance of the palette is formed by a reliance on natural materials with intrinsic or integrated finish and material quality such as stone, masonry and timber. Thermal mass, insulation, and double glazing maintain stable temperatures throughout the year.

Warriewood House III enthusiastically embraces its coastal aspect, forms a refined geometry and a restrained palette of materials result in a home that is textured, warm and welcoming.