S&S House

The Vision

Located on the highest block on a hill overlooking the mountains of Tasmania, S&S House began with a site that demanded an extraordinary response. Another steep, clay-based, north-facing site — the kind of terrain that separates builders who merely construct from those who truly build. The challenging topography was not a limitation but an invitation: to create something that would stand bold to the sun and the surrounding organic views.

Crafted on this challenging site, S&S House is a beauty that refuses to compromise. Within its walls, a ménage à trois of style, sophistication, and warmth complements the generous living experience. Our clients wanted a home that would feel both dramatic and deeply comfortable — a place where architectural ambition serves domestic pleasure rather than competing with it.

Working with Sam Haberle at S. Group, we developed a design that embraces the site's elevation as a feature rather than a problem. The home rises from the hillside with confidence, its forms articulated to create a strong silhouette against the sky while opening generously to the mountain panorama that unfolds to the north and east. The clay-based soil presented significant engineering challenges, requiring carefully designed footings and drainage systems to ensure long-term stability on the steep slope.

The project scope extended well beyond the building itself. The complete CBUS smart home system was one of the most sophisticated residential technology integrations we had undertaken, encompassing HVAC control, colour-adjustable LED lighting, automated window blinds, an integrated Paradox security system, AV and audio integration throughout, and remote-operated external doors. This level of automation required meticulous planning during the design phase and careful coordination between our construction team and specialist technology installers throughout the build.

Design & Architecture

The architectural response to this hilltop site is one of controlled drama. S. Group's design creates a series of interconnected volumes that step across the slope, each positioned to maximise views while creating intimate, protected outdoor spaces between them. The rooflines are deliberately varied — some flat, some raked — creating a dynamic silhouette that gives the home visual energy without disorder.

The floor plan is organised around a central living spine that runs along the contour, with bedrooms and service spaces stepping down the slope on the lower side. This arrangement ensures that the primary living spaces enjoy the best views and solar access, while the bedrooms benefit from the thermal stability provided by their partial earth-sheltered position on the downhill side.

Large expanses of glazing connect the interior to the landscape, but these openings are carefully controlled. The home does not simply present walls of glass — each window and door opening has been positioned to frame a specific view, control solar gain at different times of year, and manage privacy from neighbouring properties. The result is a home that feels open and connected to its environment while maintaining the controlled, curated quality that distinguishes great architecture from mere building.

Externally, the combination of clear-coat cement sheet with BAL-rated Blackbutt shiplap cladding creates a material dialogue between smooth and textured, contemporary and natural. The Wamberal free-form stone walls and letterbox ground the building in the landscape, their organic forms providing a geological counterpoint to the home's crisp architectural lines.

Materials & Technology

The interior material palette centres on engineered Oak flooring — Oak Alcazar in rustic grade with a white oil finish. This flooring provides a luminous, light-toned surface that bounces natural light deep into the floor plan while its rustic grade ensures each board carries character through natural grain variations, knots, and mineral streaks. The white oil finish enhances this character while providing practical durability for a family home.

The Blackbutt shiplap cladding and soffit lining, factory oiled, wraps portions of the exterior in warm, natural timber. The BAL rating ensures bushfire compliance — a critical consideration on this elevated, exposed site. Factory oiling provides a consistent, durable finish that will weather gracefully over time, the timber developing the silver-grey patina characteristic of Australian hardwoods exposed to the elements.

The CBUS smart home system deserves particular attention. This is not a simple light-switching system but a fully integrated building management platform. The colour-control LED lighting allows our clients to adjust the warmth and intensity of lighting throughout the home to suit different activities and times of day. Automated window blinds respond to sun position and temperature, managing solar gain and privacy without manual intervention. The integrated security system provides comprehensive monitoring, while the AV/audio integration ensures that music and entertainment follow occupants seamlessly through the home.

Living Experience

S&S House has become a landmark on its hillside — a home that is recognized and admired by the local community for its confident, contemporary presence. But for our clients, its true value lies not in its appearance from outside but in the daily experience of living within.

The mountain views that first attracted them to this site have become the backdrop to their daily lives — visible from the kitchen while cooking, from the living room while relaxing, from the master bedroom while waking. The automated systems manage the home's environment invisibly, maintaining comfort without requiring constant attention. Morning light floods the living spaces as blinds open automatically; evening lighting adjusts to create a warm, intimate atmosphere as the sun sets behind the mountains.

The home's sweep of awards — including the 2018 HIA Tasmanian Home of the Year — reflects its exceptional quality across every dimension: design, construction, materials, and integration. But for Davies, the most meaningful recognition comes from our clients' daily satisfaction with a home that exceeds expectations in ways both grand and subtle.

Recognition