Ridgeline Houses

Location

Byron Bay, NSW

Recognition

HIA Australian Housing Awards 2024 — Custom Built Home Winner

Overview

A four-bedroom family home positioned to capture views north toward Barrenjoey Headland. The site presents a 12-metre level change from street to waterline — a constraint we chose to amplify rather than resolve.

Challenge

Lena and David Hartley came to us with a demanding brief: a home that would age with them, accommodate extended family visits without feeling crowded, and perform well thermally without mechanical air conditioning. The site's extreme topography made every design decision consequential.

Solution

We split the house into two linked volumes — a street-facing entry pavilion and a garden-facing living pavilion — connected by an open breezeway that channels the prevailing north-easterly. Each level steps with the terrain rather than cutting into it. Structural timber was chosen for its thermal properties and visual warmth. Every major living space faces north with unobstructed views. Interior design was led by Nina Webb. Her material palette — pale stone, raw timber, hand-made ceramic tile — reads quietly against the landscape.

Result

Completed March 2024, within budget and on programme. 0 cooling degree days requiring mechanical air conditioning (summer 2024–25) · 34% below NCC Section J energy benchmark · HIA Custom Built Home of the Year, 2024.