Lush oasis on the riverfront

Tropical gardens and natural materials are a major feature of this award-winning residence that embraces an open relationship with the elements

IT’S a concrete jungle out there – and in here among tropical gardens beneath the floating roof of the Australian Home of the Year.

The Cove House at Sanctuary Cove has hit the market after taking out the national home building industry’s top gong at the 2020 HIA-CSR Australian Housing Awards in May.

Owner Tracey Morland engaged her cousin, architect Justin Humphrey, to design the striking subtropical home that subverts the concept of alfresco living by blurring the boundaries between indoors and out.

Built in 2018 by BJ Millar Constructions, the riverfront home features natural materials of concrete, timber and stone, and includes a large master bedroom and ensuite, two guest bedrooms – each with a bathroom – and a home office.

Inspired by Mrs Morland’s love of tropical landscapes, the north-facing residence incorporates interior lush garden atriums to separate living spaces while also connecting to the exterior environment.

“It’s not a traditional home where you go straight into a door and into a hallway. It is open to the elements before you get to the front door, so you actually go outside to enter,” Mrs Morland said.

From the street, a curved concrete wall and finely battened timber screen lead through an external garden room to the entry, while a single floating roof plane unifies the home’s various living spaces and green courtyards.

“You are walking through tropical gardens and with the very high ceilings it creates a wonderful sense of light and open space throughout the house, and then you see the water,” Mrs Morland said. “Glass doors completely open the atrium into the house, so if you are not seeing gardens then you are seeing water.”

Entertaining is a major focus — dramatic concrete kitchen walls flow to an outdoor stone terrace with an in-built fireplace and barbecue, sunken lounges and decking around a pool that overlooks the Coomera River.

“All the doors disappear into a cavity and it becomes a very large open space that works so incredibly well for entertaining, whether you have 10 or 100 people over,” Mrs Morland said.

“We’ve had numerous bigger crowds over and it is just lovely at night with the beautiful outdoor fireplace, or even just having family over and being able to jump straight into the boat on the water. You do feel like you’re always on holidays.”

Mrs Morland listed the property for sale after recently purchasing a vacant riverfront site at Bayside Close, Sanctuary Cove, where she and Mr Humphrey plan to embark on another innovative build.