Mosman House

The brief

Three storeys into the hill.

This Balmoral knockdown rebuild sits on a steeply sloping site — the kind of block that punishes timid architecture and rewards boldness. Rather than fighting the topography, the design embraces it: three storeys set into the hillside, each level opening to a different aspect of the gardens and water views beyond.

The lower level houses the garage, workshop and wine cellar — a full basement programme made possible by the hill. An internal lift connects all three levels, a practical essential on a site where level access simply isn't possible.

The alfresco entertaining areas are the centrepiece: a Vergola louvre roof over the main outdoor dining space gives year-round use regardless of weather, while the new pool and landscaping extend the living area deep into the rear garden.

A Vergola roof over the alfresco means entertaining in any weather, any season.

Design story

The hill is the design.

Sloping sites in Mosman are common — but few are handled with the confidence this one demanded. The existing house was demolished to make way for a building that truly understood its topography: each level steps down the hill, creating separation between sleeping, living, and entertaining zones that a flat site could never achieve.

The rendered masonry facade reads as calm and composed from the street — three levels sitting in the landscape rather than on top of it. Frameless glass balustrading on the upper terrace keeps the views clear, while commercial aluminium windows frame the harbour glimpses from the main living level.