Bangalow Road House by Son Studio

Occupying a compact block with three street frontages, Bangalow Road House thoughtfully tempers prospect and refuge, becoming an uplifting family home exercised in smaller footprint living.

Faced with a narrow, exposed site with stringent height and side boundary constraints, Son Studio began to question the conventions of two-storey suburban homes. Prioritising quality space, privacy and amenity, the design team thoughtfully composed the house as three rectangular pavilions: one floating above and two positioned on either side below, all surrounding a central courtyard. “This arrangement allows the building to flow between states of openness and privacy – an important feature when confronted with the proximity of a busy street,” reflects Scott Jackson, director of Son Studio.

“As the project matures and the timber acquires a unique silver-grey patina, the built form further develops its sense of belonging and coherence within its context,” muses Scott.

Bangalow Road House’s unique form also diminishes the perceived bulk and scale of the architecture, offering a balanced and proportionate presence that sits lightly amid its natural surroundings. Locally sourced timber envelops the home, accentuating this harmony by fostering tonal connections to Byron Bay’s subtropical rainforests and coastal bushlands. “As the project matures and the timber acquires a unique silver-grey patina, the built form further develops its sense of belonging and coherence within its context,” muses Jackson.

Son Studio’s strategic use of timber screening effectively buffers street exposure while preserving access to light and views. This is especially evident on the upper level, where horizontal battens obstruct street-level views but support elevated outward vistas, “ensuring privacy for the family without sacrificing openness,” says Jackson. The screens’ scale and detailing seamlessly blends with the architecture, “serving as an outer skin with a veil-like effect.” This quality reduces solar radiation and heat load on the home, in lieu of traditional eaves, and “emphasises the progression of time through ever-shifting filtered light.”

Throughout, local timber flows from exterior to interior, creating a dynamic visual experience, anchored by raw concrete floors and complemented by black kitchen cabinetry with minimalist Fisher & Paykel appliances.

Internally, each rectangular pavilion hosts a unique programmatic function: the upper level accommodates three bedrooms, one lower volume contains the garage and the other includes the family’s primary living spaces. This configuration envelops and protects the central courtyard and pool, which is connected to the living spaces via an operable, timber-clad door. “When open to the courtyard, the home fosters a social atmosphere and dialogue between interior and exterior environments. When seclusion and privacy are sought, solid openings provide the means to close off the space, ensuring the occupants are shielded from street view,” explains Jackson.

Local timber flows from exterior to interior, creating a dynamic visual experience anchored by raw concrete floors and complemented by black kitchen cabinetry with minimalist Fisher & Paykel appliances. Bangalow Road House’s compact scale and humble expression means fewer trees cut down, less material used and reduced energy requirements, demonstrating how much thoughtful planning can achieve. “Tailored views across the site transform observations into poetic encounters with the surroundings,” says Jackson – a succinct expression of Son Studio’s belief that architecture should provoke a sense of discovery and revelation, foster curiosity, and heighten awareness and sensitivity among its occupants.

Architecture by Son Studio. Interior design by Kelly-Lee Wright. Build by Morada Build. Landscape design by Cooke Landscape Architecture. Engineering by Philip Wallace Consulting Engineers. Joinery by Nailed It Kitchens & Joinery. Appliances by Fisher & Paykel.