CplusC Architects + Builders - Living Screen House

Winner of a Good Design Award 2018, and shortlisted in the World Architecture Festival and Houses Awards, a key requirement of the brief was to make it easier for the owners to do the things they love, including entertaining at home and surfing at nearby Bondi Beach. 

Living Screen House is an enduring residence located in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. The client’s brief was for a home which could be a springboard for entertaining as well as a private retreat for their family of five. A key requirement of the house was to make it easier for the owners to do the things they love, including entertaining at home and surfing at nearby Bondi Beach.

The narrow site is overlooked by neighbouring double storey houses and low-rise apartment blocks, creating significant privacy challenges. The form of the final building was driven by the need to resolve these concerns while creating indoor and outdoor spaces to live, passive solar design and natural daylighting principles. On approach, the green wall and custom planter beds are immediately visible and conceal a range of functions beyond. They ensure privacy from neighbours and pedestrian traffic, while also providing a natural green outlook from inside each space.

Downstairs, the interconnected kitchen, living, dining and outdoor spaces create highly interactive and engaged spaces designed to accommodate large groups easily. Smaller groups can retreat to the media room which overflows into the private entry courtyard. Secure storage for sports equipment is accessible from the entry, which makes it easy to grab a surfboard and head to the beach after work or school. A galley style kitchen and island bench include carefully considered lighting, while custom built-in seating provides guests somewhere to recline and converse. The pool shares a clear wall with the double height social space and acts as a visual connection between the interior and exterior spaces, refracting natural light throughout the lower level of the house.

Private spaces are located upstairs. A parent’s retreat, children’s bedrooms and bathroom all enjoy views through to the green screen via sliding or louvered windows. Since moving in, many parties, family gatherings and impromptu barbecues with friends have been held and the family report that Living Screen House well exceeded their expectations.

Photographed by Murray Fredericks, Jem Cresswell and Michael Lassman