BANKS PENINSULA
Tucked into the hillside above Pigeon Bay on Banks Peninsula, this modest yet striking cabin is now under construction – the culmination of perseverance, adaptability, and a deep commitment to design that responds to both people and place.
The site itself is nothing short of magical. Surrounded by dense native bush and alive with birdsong, it offers commanding views straight across the water. It’s also wildly challenging – steep, exposed, and not exactly welcoming to construction. Add in a shoestring budget, a pandemic, rising material costs, and the delicate task of finding the right builder for such a sensitive build, and you’ve got a project that’s had to earn every inch of progress.
Currently, foundations are being laid – a major milestone after years of careful planning, patience, and creative negotiation.
The brief was to create a small, self-contained family bach to complement the existing shed-cabin already on site. The clients – a brilliant couple of creatives (an artist, a jewellery designer, and a film director between them) – wanted a space that could offer more flexibility for their young family and double as a unique Airbnb retreat when not in use. The design had to be humble in scale, simple in form, and highly efficient – while still capturing the spirit of the land and the lifestyle they envisioned.
Over several iterations, the design evolved. Each pass sharpened the focus, responding to rising costs and shifting realities while preserving the core essence: a beautifully restrained, one-bedroom cabin with an open plan kitchen, living, and dining space that opens out to a covered deck. This outdoor terrace extends the living area and takes full advantage of the ever-changing views – a perfect spot for morning coffee, evening wine, or simply watching the light shift across the bay.
Materiality is simple and honest – chosen for durability, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to quietly blend into the bush. The architecture is deliberately understated, allowing the landscape and the creative lives of its inhabitants to take centre stage.
This is a project about working with constraint – spatial, financial, and logistical – and finding grace within it. It’s about crafting something small, but meaningful. A place of retreat, creativity, and connection.
It’s early days on site, but already the foundations are a reminder that good things take time – especially when the aim is to tread lightly, build with purpose, and create something that feels right at home in the world.
More to come as this little gem takes shape.