Header: Anson Smart
Living near one of the world’s busiest beaches requires a clever approach to privacy. When Sydney-based architecture practice Common Office took on the challenge of designing Ramsgate House, a permanent four-storey family home just steps from Bondi Beach, the main task was clear. The young clients wanted a house that felt tied to the local coastal identity, yet remained a quiet, protected haven from the constant stream of tourists outside.
The resulting design handles this public-private tension through its structure. Getting the project off the ground required navigating a complex planning process with the local council. Common Office spent considerable time discussing the exact rhythm and number of arches along the facade, proving to authorities that the building would positively contribute to the existing streetscape of North Bondi.
The modern coastal loggia
The defining feature of the residence is its reinterpretation of the classical loggia – a covered exterior gallery traditionally found in Mediterranean architecture. Drawing inspiration from historical structures like Rome’s Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, the architects used a series of arches to build a thick, usable barrier between the busy street and the private rooms inside.
Common Office describes the aesthetic as sitting somewhere between the relaxed vibe of Bondi and the bold lines of Miami. The street-facing facade offers a sense of decorative flair, but keeps the geometry clean and minimal, nodding to Art Deco traditions.
Built with traditional double- and triple-skin brickwork, the arches on the main facade are completely structural, supporting the weight of the building rather than just acting as decoration. These brick openings frame specific views, capture daylight, and provide deeply recessed pockets of shade that keep the interiors cool in the harsh Australian marine climate.
Light, materiality and changing textures
Behind the brick facade, the curved lines of the exterior transition into the core of the house. A winding, four-storey staircase echoes the shape of the arches, acting as a lightwell that pulls sunshine down through every level of the 516.8-square-metre home. This vertical path ends at the very top of the house in a copper-clad pavilion built for entertaining. From this high vantage point, the family can look east toward the beach and the ocean. The copper exterior of this upper level is meant to be dynamic, left untreated so that it will slowly weather, oxidise, and change texture as it reacts to the salty sea air over the coming years.
At the back of the property, the arched motif returns. Here, stucco walls surround large steel-framed windows that look out over the private rear garden. This section of the house features a double-height living room positioned to catch northern sunlight, which opens directly onto a swimming pool and a garden filled with native plants curated by Myles Baldwin Design.
Calibrated coastal interiors
The interiors, created in partnership with design studio Handelsman + Khaw, build upon the raw spatial qualities of the architecture. The indoor spaces use a quiet palette of washed-out, muted tones that look as though they have been softened by the sun. Every material was chosen for its ability to withstand the heavy wear of a coastal environment while responding naturally to changes in daily light.
The architecture also does plenty of heavy lifting when it comes to energy efficiency. By using deep window reveals and thick masonry walls, the house naturally blocks excess solar heat, reducing the need for artificial cooling. The layout encourages cross-ventilation, allowing sea breezes to move through the rooms, while the native landscaping supports the local coastal ecology.
A lasting response to place
Ramsgate House demonstrates that looking to historical architectural forms can solve very modern living challenges. Common Office has created a building that engages with the energy of Bondi Beach without sacrificing the quiet sanctuary needed for family life, in part by turning the ancient loggia into a functional buffer. The structure accepts its environment completely, using materials that will age alongside the landscape and heavy walls that shield the inhabitants, proving that a home can be expressive on the outside while remaining entirely protective within.
Project info
Project Name: Ramsgate House
Location: 92 Ramsgate Avenue, Bondi Beach, Sydney NSW 2026, Australia
Traditional Owners: Bidjigal, Birrabirragal and Gadigal people
Completion Date: 12 December 2025
Project Team: Rob Meyerson (Lead Architect), William J McKee (Lead Architect), Michael Cho (Project Designer), Manuel Hankoo (Graduate Architect).
Interior Designer: Handelsman + Khaw
Planner: GSA Planning
Landscape: Myles Baldwin Design
Source: v2com newswire
