A study in relaxed coastal sophistication, Beach House Apartments makes a positive architectural contribution to the beachside village of Newport on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. A new small scale apartment building within 150m of the beach and village, a key design intent was to create boutique apartments within a building that has the character of a single residence. This building of seven apartments focuses on natural light, textured durable materials, crafted details and voluminous spaces. Exterior materials were meticulously selected to weather beautifully over time, including Australian hardwoods, off-form concrete, long format waterstruck bricks and copper accents. Apartments vary considerably, taking advantage of their aspect and position within the building. Ground floor apartments open to private gardens and courtyards. First floor apartments open to generous balconies and verandahs. Full height glazing breaks down barriers between inside and outside. Privacy is carefully balanced against outlook while the solar passive, well-insulated construction ensures exemplary energy performance. The result is a unique, highly articulated building with a distinct feeling of warmth, space and light.