Northern Beaches · Northern Beaches Council
Residential architect in Palm Beach
Palm Beach sits at the tip of the peninsula between Pittwater and the ocean. Homes here deal with steep blocks, salt air, wind and some of the most closely watched streetscapes in Sydney. Our studio is ten minutes down Barrenjoey Road in Avalon, and our nearest work is a new coastal home designed for Whale Beach Road.
What we do in Palm Beach
The work that comes up most in Palm Beach and the streets around it.
Explore services- Renovations of coastal and holiday homes
- New homes on steep sites
- Waterfront alterations
- DA lodgement
- Interior design
- Northern Beaches Council assesses homes here against the planning controls for the former Pittwater area, with a building height limit commonly of 8.5 metres.
- Many blocks are steep. A geotechnical report is usually part of the application, and the slope decides where a new level or room can sit.
- Much of the area is mapped as bushfire prone land, which sets the construction standard (the BAL rating) for new work and can shape the materials.
- Waterfront sites on Pittwater and beachfront sites on the ocean side carry coastal hazard and foreshore building line controls that limit how close to the water a home can build.
- Views are shared here. Council looks closely at how a new design affects the neighbours' views, so we model them early and show it in the DA.
Projects near Palm Beach
Questions people ask in Palm Beach
All questionsDo waterfront sites need extra reports?
Usually. Expect a geotechnical report, and for waterfront or beachfront sites a coastal assessment. We list the consultants and their likely cost in the first phase, so nothing arrives as a surprise.
Can I use a CDC here, or do I need a DA?
It depends on the zone and on overlays such as bushfire, slope, flooding and heritage, which rule many Pittwater sites out of complying development. The Property Study answers it for your address before any drawing starts.
Can you design the inside as well?
Yes. Melina Bajo, our Interior Design Collaborator, works beside Laura Woodford, our Nominated Architect, from the first concept, so the plan, the joinery and the finishes are resolved together.
We also work nearby
Starting a project in Palm Beach?
A free Property Report maps the zoning, height limits, FSR, heritage overlays and hazards for your address.