North Bondi House
North Bondi House by Mather Beere Architecture is a bespoke beachside family home that combines natural light, high-quality materials, sustainable construction and refined, timeless design.
Mather Beere Architecture is a Sydney-based practice led by George Mather and Richard Beere, specialising in bespoke high-end homes, residential developments and select commercial projects. With more than 30 years of combined experience, the directors have built a studio defined by patience, integrity and a rigorous yet sensitive design approach.
A simple but powerful philosophy guides the practice: to create authentic, honest and beautiful homes. “We place the utmost importance on listening to the individual needs of our clients and considering our response in a thoughtful, patient, respectful and collaborative manner to produce bespoke projects that are thoroughly considered, refined and timeless in design,” says Beere.
The duo’s approach extends beyond design into the full life of a project, guiding clients through approvals, documentation and construction with the support of a trusted consultant and contractor team. “We take the time to carefully consider both furniture and interior design, often advising and assisting clients in selecting the right pieces to complete their home. Our approach provides a complete solution, balancing style, comfort and individuality, while at the heart of everything we do is practicality” says Mather.
Among the studio’s first significant commissions was North Bondi House, a beachside family home that became a milestone project and the catalyst for Mather and Beere’s partnership. Initially taken on by Beere, the project reached a critical stage during a period of industry uncertainty and rising constructions costs, which posed challenges to its viability. “As we moved into the documentation and contractor procurement phase, we saw significant price increases, so the design was revisited under the partnership to ensure the project remained financially feasible while still staying true to the original vision and key design principles,” Beere explains.
Planned initially as alterations and additions, the brief quickly outgrew the existing structure. For a growing family, a complete knock-down and rebuild became the logical solution. Removing the poorly considered rear addition was a key first step, reconnecting the dwelling to its garden and restoring openness and light. Yet the new house still honours its predecessor. The front window arrangement, with mid-century echoes, inspired the stylistic direction of the new home, a classic gable form reminiscent of northern European architecture. Thick walls and deep reveals reinforce this aesthetic, while layered sun-control strategies – including steel window hoods, recessed Venetian blinds, hardwood screens and motorised shading – adapt it to the Australian climate.
The house is oriented to capture sunlight throughout the day, with the eastern-facing kitchen, dining area and lounge room flowing to the garden in morning light and the western terrace welcoming the evening sun. “The house was conceived to harness natural light and frame surrounding view corridors, enhancing spatial quality and connection to its coastal context,” says Mather. Interiors continue the restrained coastal character, with oak and terrazzo flooring, blackbutt timber joinery and natural stone.
Upstairs, the bedrooms, master suite and office form a “conceptual treehouse”, built in mass timber, wrapped in insulation and clad in high-performance Abodo treated pine that will patina to a soft grey. Balconies and planter boxes soften the massing while enhancing privacy, shading and the sense of inhabiting a space immersed in the landscape.
Sustainability shaped both the design and construction. The upper level was conceived as a prefabricated cross-laminated timber (CLT) volume, craned into place atop the existing structure as a simple extruded gable, echoing the original footprint. “This construction methodology was then applied to the majority of the new build, with huge benefits to the home’s sustainability and thermal and acoustic properties,” explains Beere. Builder AJP Constructions brought specialist CLT expertise, ensuring the material’s full potential was realised.
The detailing reinforced this focus on quality. STO render, Abodo Vulcan cladding and a Fatra roof membrane over thick, rigid foam insulation, Tesla battery storage and blackbutt windows and doors combine advanced performance with a timeless appearance. A comprehensive smart home system – integrating KNX lighting control, Ubiquiti networked security and Apple Home automation – adds further precision to the building’s performance.
For Mather Beere Architecture, design is inseparable from process. “In order to deliver homes of true quality, our role is to expertly guide our clients on a journey from the early stages of design through to project completion,” reflects Mather. “Architecture is not about dictating, but about guiding. When a client shares their vision and trusts us with the process and their budget, we walk together toward a home that feels entirely theirs,” adds Beere.
In this case, the journey became more complex when the clients relocated overseas just before construction began, making trust and collaboration essential. “The North Bondi house was a perfect example of this principle in practice, whereby the early engagement of the builder and their involvement in the design and specification process established an intentionally collaborative and team-like approach,” says Beere.
North Bondi House is quietly confident, unassuming yet refined. Its material palette, natural light and considered spaces reflect the practice’s belief that homes should be enduring and adaptable. The project embodies Mather Beere Architecture’s values of patience, integrity and collaboration, realised through design that is practical, refined and timeless. For a studio still in its early years, North Bondi House signals the calibre of work to come: homes of depth, quality and beauty, crafted to reflect the lives of those who inhabit them.
Architecture by Mather Beere Architecture. Build by AJP Constructions. Landscape design by Tanya Wood Landscape Architecture. Engineering by Cantilever Consulting Engineers. Hydraulic engineering by ITM Design. Joinery by Improva with PH Creative Design.
