Located on a waterfront reserve at Forty Baskets Beach, NSW, Serenity House is a three-level contemporary coastal home overlooking Manly Wharf, built by Modern Concept Construction. The residence recently earned a joint win at the 2025 MBA Excellence in Housing Awards.
The project falls within the $7 million to $8 million category for house alterations and additions. Although it began as a renovation, it ultimately evolved into a substantial reconstruction.
The project scope was a renovation focused on installing a lift and upgrading the kitchen and bathrooms to transform the property into the clients’ forever home.
However, demolition revealed major structural issues, including inadequate load-bearing footings, causing part of the house to slide down the hill while the rear remained anchored to rock, resulting in a transverse crack from one side of the house to the other. This led to a significant project shift, with 70 per cent of the existing dwelling being demolished and rebuilt to ensure its structural integrity and longevity.
The project involved extensive structural rectification and reconstruction, maintaining the home’s architectural integrity while introducing first-class finishes and seamless modern design elements.
Precision design and custom features
The new brief called for a highly detailed waterfront home with uninterrupted water views, featuring precision construction and high-end materials. The scope included custom joinery, bespoke architectural elements, innovative drainage solutions, and logistical planning to accommodate restricted site access.
Several key features make Serenity House truly shine. To create the statement entrance, a custom western red cedar battened pivot door with book-matched curved style was chosen. The sitting room’s cathedral ceiling is a striking design element, appearing as the home’s centrepiece despite being offset, achieved through an in-house-designed false ceiling for perfect symmetry.
Egyptian limestone slabs, each weighing 185kg, were fabricated on-site by MCC’s high-end carpenters. The slabs eliminate busy tiling lines while also ensuring a seamless finish with ultra smooth bullnosing.
High-end finishes include Vitrosca sliding doors across all three levels, frameless glass balustrading with concealed fixings, a pergola with a hidden awning track, full-height frameless doors with concealed hinges, solid strip timber flooring, and book-matched 1200x600mm tiles to bathrooms. These elements all showcase the high level of craftsmanship involved to create the home.
A 4000-litre glass-fronted fish tank and heated water feature double as a children’s play area, with all hydraulics designed and built in-house.
The site’s the unique coastal setting on steep terrain, coupled with its position down a narrow laneway, prevented heavy machinery from accessing the property. All materials had to be transported manually, with 325 tonnes of brick, concrete and steel removed using a custom-designed inclinator system. To overcome access challenges and improve efficiencies, MCC designed and built a timber cart on a rail system powered by an electric winch that moved materials up and down the steep site.
The Vitrosca door system required crane installation in the laneway, necessitating temporary steel beams and tri-shores to stabilise the crane’s outriggers.
Master craftsmanship and finishes
The Serenity House project stands as a testament to resilience, innovation, and master craftsmanship. By combining cutting-edge techniques with meticulous planning, Modern Concept Constructions delivered a luxury coastal home that meets the highest standards of design and durability. This project highlights its ability to navigate complex site conditions while executing refined architectural details.
JUDGES’ COMMENTS: Faced with half the house collapsing to the water’s edge, the builder demolished and rebuilt, hand-digging 8m piers to stabilise the structure. Level-5 finishes and expertly matched large-format tiles throughout wet areas demonstrate meticulous craftsmanship on this expansive project,
For more information
MODERN CONCEPT CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD
Tel: 0410 773 063
Design: Serenity House
Architect/designer: THW Architects (architect), RAN Studio Architects (collaborating architect)
Photography: Simon Whitbread
