Casey Brown Architecture designed Bangalley House to respond to its surrounding environment in every respect.

Key features 

The house sits on a monolithic headland made up of sandstone and shale just north of Sydney, in the beachside suburb of Avalon. Paying close attention first and foremost to the cliff-edge topography of the plot, the house replaces a much more modestly sized 350-sq-m construction. The architects considered the use of the uneven land to build ‘steeped, staggered and linked blocks or pavilions, set carefully amongst the boulders and twisted tea trees strewn over the headland.’ The building features cantilever terraces, fully retractable doors, exposed hoods, and recessed openings, all to ensure maximum enhancement of the space by light and shade. It offers extensive views over the nearby Avalon beach and southern coastline, while also sheltering the property from the elements. 

The design combines a ‘rustic rugged exterior and a raw but highly crafted interior’, with natural materials and stone flooring throughout. Smoky grey and black bricks by S.Anselmo make up the façade, contrasted by white bricks found inside that reflect shifting light patterns as the sun moves around the building. A concrete staircase stands as the central feature, connecting the three levels and acting as a flue drawing up cool air from the basement during the summer. Distinctive brass-sculpted screens add another layer to the interior without disrupting the sweeping views or flow of sea air through the house.

Consideration of the environment is not just seen in its use of natural materials and accommodation of the coastline terrain of Bangalley House’s location, though. A 10kw solar array on the garage roof minimizes electricity usage, copper roofing collects rainwater for use in the house – stored in 20,000 litre tanks in the basement – and the building has bushfire-resistant double glazing that also helps to retain heat in the winter.  

FRAME’s take

The Bangalley House has been built to last for the next 100 years through a combination of highly dynamic and sustainable design. It celebrates the best of the local nature in which it sits, also preparing for the environmental challenges it will undoubtedly face in the century ahead. When we explored the future of living for our Tomorrow Living docu-series with Huawei, Ippolito Pestellini Laparelli, founder of the interdisciplinary agency 2050+, told us: ‘We can be responsible only by looking at design and architecture through the lens of very urgent questions. Whether this is about the climate meltdown, the lifecycle of materials or the innovation of a single material then yes, I think we have achieved a responsible design.’ His words ring true with this project, which demonstrate clear regard for those questions most urgent today.