Jamie Durie Unveils Sustainable Dream Home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches

Award-winning landscape designer and television host Jamie Durie has completed building his eco-friendly dream home on Sydney’s northern beaches.

Over a three-year journey, Durie and his partner Ameka Jane created what they call “Growing Home,” designed to prove that sustainability doesn’t have to mean sacrificing comfort or style.

The five-level residence includes five bedrooms, a gym, an office, landscaped gardens and an infinity swimming pool.

“The house is full of eco-innovation like our state-of-the-art geothermal heating and cooling system, this combined with our Solar system gives us the ability to be ‘grid independent’,” Durie said.

“Every element in this house has been engineered to serve a purpose – whether it’s saving energy, providing healthier air, or a greater connection to nature, the house was designed to be healthy for our family and the environment.”

Set on a steep 37-degree slope surrounded by native spotted gums, the home’s design responds closely to its environment.

“Building on a site like this means every decision has to respect the landscape,” Durie said. “It’s not just about fitting the house onto the land, but making sure the land feels part of the home.”

Large windows and open-plan spaces encourage airflow and blur the boundary between indoors and outdoors.

“We wanted the house to feel connected to the landscape through natural materials, textures, and light,” he added. “It’s about creating a calm, grounded space where we can grow as a family.”

Durie chose Bradford Gold High Performance insulation to help maintain stable temperatures, reducing reliance on artificial heating and cooling.

“Every detail in the home needed to elevate our quality of life and respect the environment,” he said. “With Bradford’s products, we’re able to create spaces that are peaceful, energy-efficient, and functional without sacrificing style.”

Other features include Luxaflex Duette Shades, crafted from 95% recycled materials, designed to regulate temperature while adding comfort and privacy.

“It’s not just about insulation,” Durie explained, “but about creating spaces that feel cosy and considered, no matter the time of year.”

Curved interior walls made possible with Gyprock Flexible add flow between spaces, while high-density Gyprock was used to reduce sound transmission.

“It’s all about layering softness and light,” Durie said of the use of Luxaflex® sheer curtains throughout the home. “The sheers run like waves along the track, wrapping the room in a way that feels both open and intimate.”

Outdoor living was another focus, with a patio leading to the pool and shaded by motorised Luxaflex Nordic Folding Arm Awnings.

“We knew we’d be spending a lot of time outside,” Durie said, “so it was important to have a solution that could handle Australia’s unpredictable weather.”

Durie describes the project as more than just a build, but an example of sustainable design in action.

“This project is about showing that sustainable design isn’t just possible – it’s beautiful,” he said.

“It’s about how thoughtful design and innovative products can make a house not just a home, but a legacy. Building smarter, creating homes that feel good to live in, and respecting the environment along the way.”

Australia’s housing debate is often dominated by affordability and supply, but a new collaboration between Brickworks and acclaimed architecture firm Kennedy Nolan argues the conversation should also focus on the quality and longevity of the homes being built.

The project, titled Our Next Neighbourhood, examines how suburban housing could evolve in response to shrinking block sizes, rising energy costs, increasing density and changing family structures.

Rather than proposing luxury dream homes, the initiative focuses on what its creators describe as achievable suburban housing models that are more flexible, sustainable, and better suited to modern Australian life.

Brickworks commissioned Kennedy Nolan to investigate what suburban housing might look like if “design, long-term liveability and enduring materials were placed at the centre of the conversation”.

The result is two housing concepts, known as the Street Terrace and Canopy Terrace, which explore higher-density living while maintaining access to green space, natural light and privacy.

The designs incorporate adaptable floorplans that can evolve as family needs change, along with passive design principles intended to reduce reliance on mechanical heating and cooling.

Brett Ward, General Manager of Marketing at Brickworks, said the company wanted to broaden the discussion around housing beyond simply increasing supply.

“Much of the housing conversation today is understandably focused on supply and affordability, but there is an equally important discussion to be had about the quality and longevity of the homes we build,” he said.

“We wanted to explore how thoughtful design, combined with durable, resilient materials, could create homes that not only function well today, but continue to support Australian families and communities long into the future.”

Kennedy Nolan said the project was partly inspired by concerns that contemporary housing often struggles to adapt to changing household structures and environmental pressures.

The architects said innovation in suburban housing was “essential” to address changing family groupings, energy use, urban heat island effects and growing disconnection from place.

According to the design team, the concepts draw on lessons from some of Australia’s most influential housing projects while seeking to create neighbourhoods with stronger links to landscape, community and local identity.

Rachel Nolan, founder of Kennedy Nolan, said the practice saw an opportunity to reimagine suburban housing as something “more connected to our climate, our landscape, our communities and our Australian identity”.

The project comes as policymakers, developers and planners continue searching for ways to deliver more housing without sacrificing liveability, neighbourhood character or long-term sustainability.

Jamie Durie Unveils Sustainable Dream Home on Sydney’s Northern Beaches

Award-winning landscape designer Jamie Durie has completed “Growing Home,” an eco-focused residence that balances sustainability, comfort and style.

Brickworks has enlisted acclaimed architecture studio Kennedy Nolan to explore how homes could become more adaptable, energy-efficient and connected to community.