dream house

The infinity pool reaches out above the hillside with stunning views of Australia's Northern Beaches.

The minimalist living room includes built-in seating.

Natural materials blend with contemporary furnishings in this unique, open living space.

A concrete block wall extends beyond the floor-to-ceiling glazing, creating a strong connection to the outdoors.

The home's living room is a midcentury-inspired oasis.

Large decks and walls of glass blur the boundaries between indoor/outdoor living.

Spaces are kept minimal to instill a sense of serenity. A Pilotta chair from Cassina is the only piece of furniture other than the built-in bench.

Clad in textured timber, the interior ceilings allow the structural material to speak for itself, while also providing a warm contrast to the minimal design.

Though Dinesen typically does not use knotty wood, here those pieces are preserved and celebrated as a textured wall treatment. A sofa by Anderseen & Voll for Muuto sits next to a chair by OeO and Brdr. Krüger. The table is Gubi.

An asymmetrical stone fireplace is a dramatic focal point in the open plan.

The bonus office/family room is lined with a chic system of wood built-ins that offer a lot of storage capacity.

Tall, sliding glass panels extend along the west side of the house, including into the living area, which has views across the terrace and 35-acre wooded property. Built-in bookshelves, part of Dynia's thick-wall strategy, keep with the orderly design. Photo by Ron Johnson.

"We originally proposed using concrete for the walls because we like the plain style and directness," the owners say. Instead of concrete, Smith suggested rammed earth, a material that combines some of the physical properties of concrete, but is less "psychologically cold." The 16-inch-thick walls' thermal mass helps to insulate the interior from heat in the summer and cold in the winter. "Rammed earth is complicated," says Smith, "so have the right expectations, do the research, and hire the right people." David Easton—who Smith calls "The Godfather of Rammed Earth"—headed the contracting team that built the walls.

Here's a detail of the concrete wall, which features the formwork's imprints.

Textured concrete walls are a signature of Cho’s work.

Lush greenery surrounds Casa Terra to make the building feel like an extension of the landscape.

A service yard is discreetly concealed behind a concrete screen. What appears as a series of concrete blocks opens up and becomes completely transparent on the hillside. It's all about embracing the views, the setting, and the climate.

Fachada