After years of living in a pre-existing home on the site, the clients approached Mim Design to design a new abode to grow and evolve with their young family of five. The resulting Pine House reflects a balance between built form and nature, achieved through a constant connection to the rugged coastal landscape.

Reinforcing this connection, the home is composed of two interlocking forms that embrace the site’s natural contours. A podium of pale, carbon-neutral Krause bricks anchors the structure, which supports a cantilevered upper level clad in Accoya timber and wide ribbon windows that frame bay views. At the rear, stone stairs descend into a landscaped garden by Ben Scott Garden Design.

The entrance features sculptural curves, expressed through varied textures and finishes, echoing the organic forms of the landscape. The sweeping staircase and softly rendered feature wall “sets the tone for the interior beyond,” Mim Design associate Lisa Ransom shares. In the upper level—which comprises the central living spaces—a double-sided fireplace, clad in the same Krause bricks as the exterior, reinforces the architectural dialogue between inside and out while separating the dining and living areas. 

Drawing in sweeping scenes of Port Phillip Bay at every angle, the upper level extends onto a U-shaped, gallery-style pavilion that wraps around an inset infinity pool. “The stone-paved courtyard crafts an inviting alcove for the family, well protected from coastal breezes,” Ransom says. Below, the more intimate ground floor is for the family’s teenagers, offering privacy and direct views of the landscaped frontage.