Ravensdale Rise House

Built on a steep hill site overlooking a native reserve area, this tricky section called for lateral thinking and clever design to make it a viable build. The result is a striking, modern building which enhances its environment.

The site required extensive excavation and foundation work to retain the land and form a platform on which the house would be built. At the design stage, we elected to use a poured in-situ concrete method to form the retaining walls and garage superstructure, anchoring the timber-pole house back into the hill. With nearly 100 lineal metres of concrete retaining walls, some exceeding 3 metres in height, the house sits strongly – with the raw concrete complementing a house that is grounded in its natural landscape.

A Vitex boardwalk weaves through the native planting, bridging across to the second storey. The long internal layout allows all spaces to enjoy the views and functions well for a young family, while the kitchen, designed by Smylie Builders, incorporates various materials to bring warmth and cohesion to the interior.

Photo Credit - Smylie Builders