This project has transformed what was once a typical three bedroom brick veneer dwelling, behind the dunes at Broulee on the NSW South Coast, into a private and airy haven for coastal family living. Central to the planning of the site was the intention to create a series of defined living spaces and the opening up of the building to engage with the site and its surrounding backdrop of trees and sky. As the project was constructed by the owners whilst still living in the house, there was also a requirement to retain as much of existing structure as possible, along with a desire for an environmentally sensitive approach.

 

The project demonstrates a high standard of environmental exellence, including the re-use of existing and renewable materials with natural finishes, collection of rainwater for re-use, energy efficient lighting, and passive solar design to improve winter heating and summer cooling. The living spaces have been designed to capture the nothern sunlight, providing winter warmth and outlook to the rear of the dwelling. The large outdoor room provides both a cool space to relax on hot summer evenings and a place to be outside even on the inevitable rainy days on the coast.

Habitation designed this two storey residence at Brighton Le Sands. The dwelling is characterised by a central courtyard which provides light and ventilation to each of the internal spaces. A cleverly concealed, sunken garage allows for a welcoming street presence at a human scale. All of the living areas have northerly aspects creating an open, light filled home, while the integration of the house with its landscape has resulted in the creation of functional, liveable spaces both indoor and out.

This project was a re-furbishment of one of  Sydney's most exclusive penthouses. The design incorporated water features at key areas, planting design for exposed balconies and areas for outdoor entertaining. Habitation custom designed water feauters, screen panels, planters and pots that would reflect the architecture and site context. a grove of sculptural trees was placed on the roof to give privacy and enclosure to the space.

This renovation of an old terrace courtyard involved designing a functional garden in limited space. The design centred around a timber, sunken table that can be lowered to form a deck or raised to form a table for meals. The space included a sandstone waterfeature / reflection pool and a row of striking, black bamboo used to screen a new boundary wall.

Habitation's brief was to produce a landscape to complement the site's bold contemporary architecture. We used planting that would look good all year round with foliage texture and form that would stand out against the modern buildings. As the building unfolds so does the landscape with pocket courtyard gardens that form focal areas as you descend through the levels. Habitation sourced and used some of Australia's most exciting and rare plants.

Habitation focused on creating two amazing landscape spaces for this residence in an exclusive Sydney waterfront area. We created a wet edge pool and a glass bridge was positioned over a pond with fish and pebble. Lighting and water jets added colour and sound to the space. The planting involved a mixture of tropical and succulent species. This landscape has appeared in many publications and on TV since its completion.

The landscape design for this residence involved the creation of a contemporary landscape that complemented the modern lines and materials utilized in the architectural form. The garden areas were shaped in strong, geometric forms to balance the angles in the building and create defined, useable space. The planting was selected to provide a strong contrast to the stone, timber and zinc elements. The wet edge pool design utilizes a mixture of recycled hardwood and bluestone. Planting around the pool focuses on deep green and silvers to help enhance the modern, timeless character of the pool landscape.

Habitation won the Tag Heuer Award for Best Design at Sydney In Bloom 2004 and was awarded a Silver Medal for Overall Construction. The design incorporated an outdoor kitchen with feature steel joinery, fronting a grove of black bamboo illuminated with optic fibre lighting. The garden took inspiration from Jackson Pollock's "Blue Poles" and contained a series of garden rooms and framed views.

This display garden was awarded a Bronze Medal overall and First Place for Most Outstanding Design at the 2003 Sydney in Bloom Exhibition. In this design, movable sliding grates formed a usable deck area which could also be positioned to reveal a hidden reflection / plunge pool below. A glass bridge and water feature provided a focal point to the steel wall beyond. Habitation also incorporated a prefabricated outdoor entertaining room designed to open up into and activate the courtyard.