Shark House
The Shark House is a bold four-storey waterfront residence located in Blackwall on Darkinjung Country, on the NSW Central Coast.
Replacing a modest weatherboard cottage, the project is a knockdown rebuild that responds to a highly constrained 460-square-metre site, bounded by the water to the front and a steep rocky reserve to the rear. With limited footprint and strict planning controls, the design adopts a vertical strategy to maximise floor area, views and amenity.
Designed as a home for entertaining, the residence is organised to place living spaces and experiences where they are most impactful. A rooftop infinity pool and entertaining terrace crown the building, freeing up ground-level space while delivering panoramic views across Brisbane Water to the Rip Bridge. This elevated outdoor zone becomes the home’s social heart, complete with an outdoor kitchen and amenities, all accessed via lift.
Materially, the architecture is defined by off-form concrete, natural stone cladding and timber-look detailing, selected for durability in the coastal environment and to visually anchor the building within its rocky setting. Black-framed glazing captures expansive water views while maintaining a restrained, sculptural exterior.
Arrival is marked by a distinctive entry sequence of stepping stones crossing a pond inhabited by tropical fish and baby sharks—an element that gives the house its name. Internally, a floating stair rises through a full-height glass atrium, drawing daylight deep into the home and reinforcing a strong vertical connection between levels.
Inside, the main living level is oriented entirely toward the water, with floor-to-ceiling glazing, refined joinery and a dramatic glass-bottom pool overhead that filters light through the space. The Shark House transforms site constraints into architectural opportunity, delivering a striking yet serene coastal home deeply connected to water, light and place.
Replacing a modest weatherboard cottage, the project is a knockdown rebuild that responds to a highly constrained 460-square-metre site, bounded by the water to the front and a steep rocky reserve to the rear. With limited footprint and strict planning controls, the design adopts a vertical strategy to maximise floor area, views and amenity.
Designed as a home for entertaining, the residence is organised to place living spaces and experiences where they are most impactful. A rooftop infinity pool and entertaining terrace crown the building, freeing up ground-level space while delivering panoramic views across Brisbane Water to the Rip Bridge. This elevated outdoor zone becomes the home’s social heart, complete with an outdoor kitchen and amenities, all accessed via lift.
Materially, the architecture is defined by off-form concrete, natural stone cladding and timber-look detailing, selected for durability in the coastal environment and to visually anchor the building within its rocky setting. Black-framed glazing captures expansive water views while maintaining a restrained, sculptural exterior.
Arrival is marked by a distinctive entry sequence of stepping stones crossing a pond inhabited by tropical fish and baby sharks—an element that gives the house its name. Internally, a floating stair rises through a full-height glass atrium, drawing daylight deep into the home and reinforcing a strong vertical connection between levels.
Inside, the main living level is oriented entirely toward the water, with floor-to-ceiling glazing, refined joinery and a dramatic glass-bottom pool overhead that filters light through the space. The Shark House transforms site constraints into architectural opportunity, delivering a striking yet serene coastal home deeply connected to water, light and place.
