A Sunken Courtyard Anchors This Concrete Home to Its Steep Waterfront Site

When an empty-nester couple in Sydney decided to build their own home, they found a site in Church Point, a suburb in Sydney’s northern beaches overlooking a beautiful body of water to a national park. Set against a steep rock face, the west-facing site proved challenging—and the initial scheme felt disconnected from the site, with a singular focus on views to the water. The couple also felt it wasn’t sympathetic to their needs as they grew older. So, they decided to change tack and approached local firm CHROFI to develop a new scheme.