Veiled by a 100-year-old façade, this tranquil penthouse is a sanctuary for the senses in the heart of Bondi.
Perched on Gadigal and Birrabirragal land in Bondi, New South Wales, this penthouse was designed by Lawless & Meyerson, with architecture by MHN Design Union. As Lawless & Meyerson co-founder and creative director Jo Lawless highlights, the brief necessitated a contemporary design to emerge from behind the original century-old façade.
The lift entry opens onto a curved foyer meandering across the living, kitchen and dining open plan, extending towards the terrace. Quiet zones of the narrow floorplan accomodate the bedrooms, bathrooms and study. The challenge lay in welcoming in the 180-degree vistas of Bondi Beach—framed by deep, portal-like windows—while simultaneously creating a sanctuary away from the lively precinct below.
Achieving this, the semi-enclosed terrace provides highly tailorable indoor-outdoor connection. Glazed doors, windows and curtains allow residents to mediate the level of salty zephyrs, city murmurs or sunlight they invite in. “It’s an unexpected, almost loggia-like space,” Lawless describes. “It’s private and shaded, yet open to sea breezes and panoramic views over Bondi,” she adds. “It’s not a typical balcony, but a tranquil outdoor room that embodies the project’s balance of heritage and contemporary living.”
