Meandering Amongst the Trees – Treetops House 01 by Ursino Architects

Meandering around the existing significant flora on site, Treetops House 01 sees long, clean lines form the envelope of the cleverly interrogated family home. Ursino Architects brings a calming restraint to site, allowing the landscape to shine.

Located in Clontarf, in Sydney’s northern beaches, Treetops House 01 was born from a recent subdivision of a property referred to as Treetops Estate. This carved portion centres around significant flora on the site, of which four significant Sydney red gums are the hero and become the nodes around which the architecture unfolds. Ursino Architects brings a sensitivity to site, approaching the existing landscape with a restraint that is then mirrored in the resulting architecture, where long lines, clean openings and a limited palette allow the trees to be showcased and cast moving shadows across the façade.

Located in Clontarf, in Sydney’s northern beaches, Treetops House 01 was born from a recent subdivision of a property referred to as Treetops Estate.

Built by Dilcara Constructions, Treetops House 01 is broken up over three levels, where zones allow for separate functions to unfurl. The overall form is further punctuated by the internal courtyard that sits surrounding one of the existing trees, creating almost a shrine to the tree and allowing the space to literally breathe. Its presence adds a sculptural and natural element to the architecture, breaking up the lineal nature of the plan. Other existing trees sit comfortably with the architectural footprint also as the form meanders and weaves around them, respecting their history and present importance to the site.

The overall form is further punctuated by the internal courtyard that sits surrounding one of the existing trees, creating almost a shrine to the tree and allowing the space to literally breathe.

Essentially a large family home, the architecture has two differing fronts. From approach, the home is revealed through three of the large significant trees, and the process is one of discovery where the last of the trees appears to be growing out of the building. On the opposite site, the focus is on the views across the bay, which stretch from Spit Bridge to Chinaman’s Beach. The central courtyard then offers a relief from these two experiences of landscape meeting the built form, with a more introspective approach and a bridge element created between two parts of the home.

Soaring above its neighbours, Treetops House 01 sees a refined palette of restraint applied in all areas. Concrete and timber come together with white plastered walls, limestone tiles and natural stone to create a beautifully non-competing backdrop for the incredibly unique surrounding foliage and view. Ursino Architects has brought a calming refinement to the formal design approach, to detailing and to long-spanning thresholds that allow an effortless transition between internal and external zones to exist. Above all, the carefully curated integration of the existing significant landscape allows it to be showcased and to become an essential part of the experience of the home.

Concrete and timber come together with white plastered walls, limestone tiles and natural stone to create a beautifully non-competing backdrop for the incredibly unique surrounding foliage and view.