While a home by the seaside is a fortunate venture, it has its fair share of challenges. The climate could not be ignored, or else the structure would decay in the coastal conditions. Choosing the right materials came down to weather resistance, to brace the beachside winds, salt and humidity. Luigi Rosselli favoured the titan of durability — concrete — in the company of marine grade roofing materials, shutters and stainless steel fixings. The shutters form private screens from the street, but see-through from the inset. The concrete curves were moulded by wood grain boards and masked by off-white cement, giving this beach beauty its own sun-kissed, ‘luminous’ glow.

Tam’s Tee Home takes its name from the tee shape build. The home rests on a single point atop of the garage, bolstered by the existing sandstone retaining wall, incorporating approximately fifty-percent of the old home, into the new. Perched on the hillside, the site was characterised by steep escarpments and for this, Luigi Rosselli Architects have looked up. Private and shared spaces are spread across four storeys, and on level three the living area sure reaps the coastal rewards. It’s a win, win: northeast ocean views and a sheltered terrace on the west side to take comfort from the weather.

True to Luigi Rosselli fashion, the curves don’t stop at the front door. In fact, the sculptural centrepiece lies at the heart of the living room, in The Roscharch Blotch Fireplace. It’s a wave-like gas fireplace you won’t forget, with a gas burner inserted in the masonry base, finished with render. As the pivoting point at the intersection of the dining room, living and kitchen, the shapely fireplace sets the contemporary tone for the airy interiors and hints a gentle connection with the lapping waves. The curves continue into the kitchen, with custom built joinery and down the curbed staircase, guaranteeing corners are few and far between. The more you look, the more you note the rounded edges on objects, fittings and fixtures; revealing an acute attention to detail. Dappled by filtered natural light, the interiors echo a coastal elegance underpinned by the all-Australian materials of concrete, stone and timber.

Without fail, Luigi Rosselli Architects lead the way for Sydney design, thinking outside the square and inside a much more organic shape. Tama’s Tee House is well-rounded to the luxuries and limitations of its climate – proving good things really can come from cutting corners.