When this quarter-acre lot in Seaforth, a suburb of Sydney, went up for sale, the listing included an approved development application, with plans for a new home to be built on the site. The owners asked Stafford Architecture to tour the lot and review the suggested scheme.

“Upon visiting the site and experiencing the magic of this leafy corner, with the incredible sandstone ridge, we could not fathom building on top of—and cutting into—this significant feature as the approved development application proposed,” says architect Bronwyn Litera.

Litera and the team suggested a concrete blade wall, which serves as the spine of the building and divides the two contrasting volumes, as seen from the street. On the right is the private wing of the home, which holds the garage and bedrooms. On the left, the communal volume is clad in a slatted spotted gum screen that provides privacy from passersby, yet still allows for light and views. One corner of the structure juts sharply out, making the home appear to hover over the rock outcropping.

“We worked hard to maintain the rock as ‘untouched,’” says Litera. “Structural connections were made as minimal as possible, services were concealed within the voids of the existing sandstone, and the loose boulders were repurposed amongst the landscaping.”

Inside the home, strategically placed windows frame the views to take the best advantage of the site. Floor-to-ceiling units flank the fireplace and put the focus on tree trunks and canopy, while sliding doors in the living room capture the horizon of Middle Harbour. “The entire lower level is glazed to the rock face,” says Litera.

“We wanted to celebrate the incredible rock that delineates the site, and float the house lightly over it, while also connecting with it at key moments internally.”

Copper and brass accents serve as “home jewelry” throughout. Brass balustrades at the mezzanine level and a copper accent wall are both “interactive and ‘reactive’ by nature,” says Litera, who notes that they’ll develop a patina from the weather and continued use.

The metallic glint is tempered by warm oak on the floors and ceiling. White walls, built-in cabinetry, and a gently rounded fireplace column are balanced with black-framed windows and doors.

“We and the clients were interested in the honesty of natural materials, without too much decoration or flamboyance,” says Litera. “We wished to celebrate the beauty of raw finishes in the same way we celebrated the natural features of the site.”

Their selections include a “boulder basin” installed in a powder room. (It’s actually granite carved by Euromarble, not the native sandstone, which would have been too soft.) “We wanted to bring a little of the rock inside, rather than always being inside looking out at it,” adds Litera.

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Related Reading:

This Australian “Tree House” Embraces the Spirit of its Site

A Compact House in Japan Appears to Float Above the Earth

Project Credits:

Architect of Record: Stafford Architecture / @staffordarchitecture

Builder: Adam Van der Wallen

Structural Engineer: Northern Beaches Consulting

Landscape Design: Vanessa Sutton

Lighting and Interior Design: Stafford Architecture

Cabinetry Design and Installation: Topknot Carpentry and Joinery

Flooring: Nash Timber Floors

Photography Stying: Atelier Room on Fire