Situated on Kawana Island, this stunning home overlooks the canals and takes the greatest advantage of the abutting nature strip to capture the northerly aspect. From within the home, it’s easy to forget you’re in a built-up suburban area, and the majestic stone fireplace dominates the living space.

The site itself was a challenge during the design phase, due to the irregular shape of the block, which is cone-shaped and narrows to a point on the street side, further compilating construction access.

During the design process, it was critical that we maximise passive design principals by ensuring the majority of the rooms benefited from both the northerly aspect and the stunning canal views to the east and across the channel.

Being on a canal can bring up issues with privacy and, in this instance, the property is subject to strong southerly breezes, so the inclusion of a central courtyard provides an escape for the residents from both breezes and prying eyes, a retreat within a retreat.

Additionally, with the Queensland sun adding its own challenges, the inclusion of selectively placed shading elements to windows and external elements throughout the home achieves a greater level of comfort. We found the perfect solution in Heka Hoods, which aligned with the minimalist design of the home while providing the maximum benefit – beautiful design without sacrificing functionality.

From David, the owner “Thank you, Chris, for designing a house that I want to go on holidays in — I think if I were to pay for a holiday, I would be disappointed because nothing would be as good as this!”