Bellevue Hill House

Raising the existing walls and remodelling the roof of this already renovated 1960s property delivered a masterpiece suite with a hard-to-beat view over Sydney Harbour.

On an oversized block in sought-after Bellevue Hill, the clients had outgrown an earlier renovation but were reluctant to leave their family home. Rather than move, they tasked us with exploring whether one final intervention could deliver what was missing — a master suite positioned to make the most of what the site had always promised.

Sensitive view corridors and restrictive height controls made it a complex undertaking, compounded by the brief to disturb as little of the existing home as possible. Through inventive 3D modelling and precise space planning, a new stair was inserted into the existing entry hall — subtly ascending to a lofty, light-filled retreat above. In doing so, the entry hall itself was transformed: low ceilings left over from an earlier era gave way to a dynamic space with soaring proportions.

The new master suite navigates the roof's hips and valleys without compromise. The bed is orientated to the harbour view; floating joinery allows sculpted ceilings to read uninterrupted from end to end; and a freestanding bath is positioned to capture the spectacle from dawn to dusk. It is a room designed to never want to leave.

Completed 2018 (as Arque)

Builder I Burmah Constructions
Photography ©Prue Roscoe