Photography by Murray Fredericks
In Sydney, Australia, overlooking a nearby golf course and the sparkling waters of Quakers Hat Bay, Terabithia House by CplusC Architects + Builders transforms a challenging sloping site into an unforgettable family home.
Built to replace a modest 1930s residence, the four-bedroom home balances expansive views, privacy, sustainability, and family-focused living. From the street, its dramatic butterfly-shaped roof immediately captures attention. An oversized circular opening punctures the roof like a giant eye looking down toward the pool below, hinting at the playful architectural language waiting inside.
Created for a family of four, the home combines bold forms, innovative materials, and flexible living spaces while maintaining a strong connection to light, fresh air, and the spectacular Middle Harbour outlook.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
A Butterfly Roof and Jade-Tinted Screens
The exterior is instantly recognizable thanks to its sculptural butterfly roof formed from corrugated sheet metal. The roof curves dramatically upward while remaining within strict council height restrictions designed to preserve neighboring views.
Circular geometry appears throughout the architecture. Round windows, curved brickwork, roof openings, and even a barrel-shaped letterbox establish a visual language that repeats across the property.
Privacy was a major challenge on the elevated site. To solve it, CplusC introduced translucent jade-green fibre-reinforced plastic screens. These lightweight lattice panels filter sunlight and breezes while shielding the home from surrounding properties and the street.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Renata Dominik
A Garden Path That Builds Anticipation
Before reaching the front door, visitors move through a landscaped courtyard garden tucked behind the privacy screens. The transition softens the shift from street to home and introduces the lush greenery that appears throughout the project.
Plants weave through the lattice screens, adding texture and helping the façade evolve over time as vegetation grows across the structure.
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Renata Dominik
An Entry Framed by Light and Water
Stepping inside reveals one of the home’s most memorable moments. Views immediately open toward the rear of the property while natural light floods the interior.
Beside the entry sits the raised lap pool, sparkling beneath the giant circular roof opening above. Glass louvres separate the pool from the interior spaces, allowing water reflections to dance across walls and ceilings.
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Murray Fredericks
A Sitting Room Wrapped in Views
The first living spaces embrace the property’s elevated position. Large openings frame views across the golf course and harbour while sunlight pours through the home throughout the day.
Oversized timber sliding doors allow spaces to be opened up or separated depending on how the family wishes to use them. Every room benefits from the home’s cascading layout, which follows the natural slope of the site.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Murray Fredericks
A Kitchen and Dining Area Designed for Gathering
The kitchen serves as the social centre of the home. Positioned to capture views and maintain visual connections across multiple levels, it encourages conversation and family interaction.
A generous walk-in pantry provides extensive storage, while a striking 5.8-metre recycled hardwood benchtop becomes a focal point of the space. Circular geometry appears again through the curved benchtop design, softened further by custom timber handles crafted specifically for the project.
A fireplace, added during construction, introduces warmth and atmosphere during cooler months.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Renata Dominik
Adjacent to the kitchen, the dining area enjoys uninterrupted outlooks across Quakers Hat Bay.
The family wanted a home that felt easy to live in, and the dining space achieves exactly that. Positioned between indoor and outdoor areas, it acts as a natural meeting place for meals, conversation, and entertaining.
Photography by Renata Dominik
A Living Room Filled with Character
A few steps down from the kitchen, the main living area introduces additional warmth and personality.
Custom timber cabinetry includes sliding panels that can display artwork or conceal the television when not in use. Hydronic underfloor heating and a wood stove make the room comfortable year-round.
A large circular window reinforces the home’s recurring geometric theme while drawing additional natural light into the interior.
Photography by Renata Dominik
Outdoor Dining with views of the Water
The living room opens directly onto covered outdoor entertaining spaces. These sheltered areas extend the living environment beyond the walls of the house and take full advantage of Sydney’s climate. Positioned alongside the pool and overlooking the landscape beyond, they offer ideal spaces for entertaining family and friends.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Renata Dominik
The Rear Elevation Opens to the View
From the rear, the home reveals its multilevel composition as it steps down the sloping site. Large expanses of glazing capture sunlight and maximize outlooks while maintaining privacy through the strategic use of screens and landscaping.
The architecture unfolds gradually, revealing terraces, balconies, outdoor rooms, and connections between levels.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
A Sustainable Home with Lasting Appeal
Beyond its dramatic architecture, Terabithia House delivers impressive environmental performance.
The home operates with a 13.28kW solar system, two rainwater tanks holding 10,000 litres, hydronic heating and cooling, recycled hardwood flooring, recycled timber doors and windows, recycled brickwork, and shading systems that improve airflow and reduce heat gain.
Photography by Renata Dominik
A Pool That Becomes Part of the Architecture
The 10-metre lap pool runs almost the entire length of the social spaces and acts as an architectural feature as much as a recreational one.
Reflective pool tiles bounce northern light into the surrounding rooms, enhancing natural illumination throughout the home. At night, integrated lighting transforms the water into a glowing focal point beneath the circular roof opening.
Parents can easily supervise children from inside, making the pool practical as well as beautiful.
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Renata Dominik
The Cargo Net Everyone Loves
One of the home’s most playful features appears upstairs. A suspended cargo net stretches above the pool area, linking the study space to the rear balcony. It creates an elevated hangout zone where children can relax, play, and enjoy views over the living spaces below. The feature quickly became one of the family’s favorite elements.
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Murray Fredericks
A Hidden Pool Bathroom and Steam Room
At the end of the pool, a concealed curved door leads into one of the home’s most unexpected spaces.
The cylindrical steam room is hidden within a curved timber enclosure and finished with yellow and white penny-round tiles. A circular skylight channels natural light into the room through a sky tube, while orb lighting and curved details continue the home’s recurring design language.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Murray Fredericks
The Bright Yellow Spiral Staircase
Few features make a stronger impression than the triple-height spiral staircase. Painted bright yellow, the steel stair twists dramatically through the centre of the home, linking all three levels. Recycled timber treads soften its industrial appearance while reinforcing the project’s sustainability goals. Constructed and welded on-site, it serves as both circulation and sculpture.
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Murray Fredericks
A Flexible Home Office and Creative Space
The first floor includes a study and craft room designed to support changing family needs. Positioned alongside the cargo net and connected to outdoor spaces, the room receives plenty of natural light and offers flexibility for work, hobbies, and creative projects.
Steel runners mounted below the corrugated ceilings provide support for artwork, lighting, and curtain systems.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Murray Fredericks
A Primary Bedroom Framed by the Landscape
Located at the rear of the upper floor, the primary suite enjoys some of the property’s best views. The elevated position creates a peaceful atmosphere while maintaining strong visual connections to the surrounding landscape.
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Renata Dominik
Bedrooms Designed for Growing Kids
The children’s bedrooms occupy the front portion of the upper level. These spaces are bright, comfortable, and positioned close to the study and gallery areas. Large windows and access to shared circulation spaces help create a sense of openness while still offering privacy.
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Photography by Renata Dominik
Photography by Murray Fredericks
Watch the Home in Motion
Photography captures many of Terabithia House’s highlights, but video reveals the true experience of moving through the home. The changing views, reflections from the pool, shifting daylight, and dramatic spiral staircase become even more impressive when seen in motion.
Cinematographer: Alexander Lee
Understanding the Floor Plans
The floor plans reveal how effectively the home responds to its steep site. Living spaces occupy the main level alongside the pool and outdoor entertaining zones. Bedrooms and study spaces sit above, while practical functions including the garage, storage areas, and guest accommodation occupy the lower ground floor.
This project reflects CplusC Architects + Builders’ ability to combine ambitious design with practical family living. From the butterfly roof and glowing oculus to the hidden steam room and playful cargo net, every part of the home contributes to an experience that is both memorable and functional.