Located on the slopes of Mosman above Chinaman’s Beach, this three-level house overlooks Sydney Harbour’s North Head and the Pacific Ocean beyond.

The house is set on a steeply sloping site and is largely concealed from the street. The architects carefully designed it around the sculptural form of a large Angophora tree. The key living spaces open to generous covered terraces and the views beyond. Blackened steel brise soleil is set within deep openings in expanses of white. Smaller apertures provide framed vignettes of the surrounding garden.

Plastered walls, terrazzo floors, silk rugs, and Carrara marble, all in shades of white, capture light and shadow. Strong accents of black create moments of contrast. An internal stair is deliberately darkened to counterpoint the lightness of the house and to refocus the senses to the framed external harbor views. A basalt lined swimming pool is set within a private oasis of green.

Photography by Romello Pereira

Project by Mathieson Architects and Partridge