Blake Residence
An elevated residence positioned on a triangular site.
Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Architecture
The Blake Residence in Bayview responds to the evolving needs of a growing family on a challenging triangular site with a significant level change of more than eight metres. The elevated position offers expansive water views toward Scotland Island, Lion Island and Palm Beach, while the surrounding context of neighbouring dwellings required careful consideration of privacy and outlook. An existing early-settlement cottage on the site was documented extensively prior to its removal, acknowledging the site’s historical significance.
The design negotiates planning constraints and community sensitivities to deliver a compact three-level home that sits comfortably within the permissible building envelope.
Despite its modest scale relative to neighbouring residences, the house provides generous and flexible living spaces, organised around a central kitchen. The lower level accommodates garaging, gym and guest facilities, engaging the street through an intimate courtyard. The main living level opens to the north with an outdoor terrace and level patio connecting to the rear garden, supporting both quiet retreat and large-scale entertaining.
The upper level is more private, housing bedrooms, a study and amenities, with visual connections established through a feature stair and void. Architecturally, the home is expressed through stepped portal frames and expansive glazing, moderated by sunshades and grounded by a sandstone base. High ceilings and highlight windows enhance the bedroom spaces, while the rear and side elevations adopt a more restrained language, using narrow vertical windows to maintain privacy and engage with the surrounding gum trees.
The residence is carefully integrated into its landscape setting, with considered planting and water features reinforcing a strong connection to the natural environment. Together, architecture and landscape form a cohesive response that balances openness, privacy and a strong sense of place within the Bayview context.
