Informed by the beachfront environment of its headland site, the home is designed to withstand Australia’s dramatic climate conditions, where harsh sunlight, high winds, and flooding are common. The structure is set on concrete piles, allowing sand and water to move in and out beneath the building. A custom system of horizontal bi‑fold screens can enclose the home to protect it from the elements or open it fully to capture stunning views, while providing passive ventilation.

The design of Bilgola Beach House balances the need for protection with the desire to directly engage with the surrounding natural landscape. The retractable window walls throughout the home’s lower-level gathering zones blur boundaries between interior and exterior environments; upstairs, glass guardrails preserve full-height views across the dunes. The courtyard’s central water feature also helps to cool the air, reducing the need for air conditioning and allowing residents to directly engage with the climate of the site as well as the ocean beyond. Board-formed concrete exterior walls, visible throughout the interior public spaces, reference the color of the local sands and will merge with the natural condition of the headlands as they weather over time.