Mountain Residence

The brief

This custom home design sits on a rainforest slope at Tamborine Mountain, for a client who wanted something timeless with real character. Dark cladding and warm red brick take their cue from the mountain's moody skies and rich red soil.

A low, spreading roofline holds the house to the landscape and shelters it through the subtropical seasons. Inside, open living is arranged for natural light and cross breezes, large windows frame the rainforest, and a circular window picks up the rounded forms of the land outside. Terraced gardens and a private entry stair complete the climb.

Type

Custom home

Site

Sloping rainforest block

Materials

Dark cladding, red brick

Year

2025

Custom home design for a hillside

A custom home design should feel like it could only belong on its own site. Here that meant a low, spreading form that sits into the slope rather than standing on top of it, with terraced gardens and a private stair leading up to the entry.

Inside, the plan follows the light and the breeze. Open living areas face the rainforest, large windows frame the green outlook, and a circular window adds a quieter moment that echoes the rounded forms of the land outside.

Building on a slope adds cost and complexity, so the design and documentation work hand in hand. Sloping sites and challenging landscapes are where the studio does some of its best work, and where careful drawings matter most to the builder on site.

Planning a home on a sloping or rural site? Explore our home design services or see more projects.