Pipis
Embracing the relaxed, surf town feel of the Gold Coast, Pipis by Siera Property Group and Ellivo is a stunning beachfront property inspired by Bilinga’s undulating dunes and expansive views.
Brent Thompson, founder of Siera Property Group, reflects on the experience of first visiting the Pipis site, when all that stood there was a fibro beach shack. “You could see these walking tracks down onto the beach through the dunes. We really just had this overwhelming feeling that this was a very special place and we had the opportunity to deliver a very special project.” The quiet, nostalgic atmosphere harks back to the classic surf village feel that other parts of the Gold Coast have lost. “It’s just got that feeling that people are chasing that they used to have,” he adds.
Pipis sits in an absolute beachfront location, and the whole building was designed to make the transition from the residence to the beach as seamless as possible. Amenities such as a gym, heated magnesium lap pool, beach shower and dog wash all allow residents to embrace an active outdoor lifestyle. The 19 luxury residences themselves have an unbelievable view over the Pacific Ocean, with floor-to-ceiling windows taking in the Surfers Paradise skyline to the north and Coolangatta to the south. “Life here is really about just opening up the back doors, opening the windows, letting the breeze come through and just enjoy everything that’s special about this location,” Thompson says.
Siera worked with architecture firm Ellivo to help bring their vision to life. Matt Martoo, project director at Ellivo, notes that their chief aim was to allow residents to enjoy the coastal lifestyle. “We wanted to really feel like we could amplify the experience of living at the beach.” In doing so, he aimed to make the most out of the series of spaces and rituals of arrival, allowing residents to feel relaxed from the moment they step through the door. For the interiors, he looked to create a sense of luxury and refinement in everything they called home.
Throughout, there is a balance between a sense of openness and enclosure. The social and entertaining spaces at the front of the building are all about capturing and framing incredible coastal views while allowing the home to be filled with natural light. Towards the rear of the building, in the private spaces such as the bedrooms and bathrooms, the architecture becomes more sculpted and enclosed. “It gives you a sense of an oasis, but it’s your own little retreat.”
A key element for both Ellivo and Siera was gaining a deep, authentic understanding of how residents are going to inhabit the space over time. “When we’re designing a home, and especially a home like Pipis, we are thinking about every detail,” Thompson notes. “We wanted to have a place where it’s multi-generational and where everyone wanted to come.”
From the exterior to the interior, every detail matters – from the clean lines of the balcony balustrades and glazing to the choice to underground powerlines, allowing the facade to be the hero of the streetscape. The exceptional, refined result draws on Thompson’s deep, personal commitment to every building Siera has created since he founded the business in 2014. With Pipis, his goal was “not to only deliver a beautiful project that we can stand back and be proud of, but just because we really want to deliver stunning, beautiful, well-thought-out, timeless buildings”.
