The Bow Window Penthouse
Flying High Over Bondi
In a first for Luigi Rosselli Architects the camera has left the ground to pan over the penthouse additions to a classic Art Deco style apartment block built in the late 1920’s. The penthouse’s defining feature is a bow window in the corner of the building facing the intersection of the street that reaches out to create a dialogue with the passers-by in the avenue below. The bow window is also reminiscent of windows found in the Captain’s Quarters at the stern of historic ships; borrowing from naval architecture was appropriate for the seaside location of Bondi Beach. The penthouse is separated from the existing brick unit block by a concrete slab and spandrel, this is a fire protection requirement. A wave of metal roofing conceals the upper level of the penthouse from the street. The wave dovetails towards the view, culminating in a balcony, of which two were designed but only one was allowed by the Council.
Location: Bondi Beach NSW
Council: Waverley Council
Design Architect: Luigi Rosselli
Project Architect: Carl Rutherfoord
Builder: Groundup Building Pty Ltd
Structural Consultant: Rooney & Bye Pty Ltd
Joiner: Frilingos Commercial interiors
Windows: Lindsay Almond Glass and Aluminium Pty Ltd
Shutters: Shutters Australia Pty Ltd
Photography: Edward Birch
Drone Video Footage: Groundcontrol
The red brick apartment block, built in the late 1920s, rises with the calm order of its rectangular fenestration and Art Deco-influenced roofline. Generous windows give it historic stature, their rhythm preserved even as new additions extend the architectural story skyward.
© Edward Birch
A sweeping wave of metal roofing crowns the building, defining its skyline profile and discreetly screening the top level from street view. Folding gracefully toward the ocean, the roofline culminates in a balcony, offering a sculptural design that balances ambitious vision with refined restraint.
© Edward Birch
At the prow of the street corner, the defining bow window pushes outward into dialogue with the avenue below. A contemporary reinterpretation of a Captain's Quarters, it embodies both lookout and connection, situating the penthouse as a maritime sentinel within the urban fabric.
© Edward Birch
This nautical echo resonates with the coastal setting of Bondi Beach, where the penthouse becomes a symbolic cabin on the shore, poised between ocean horizon and city life.
© Edward Birch
Dark gutters and downpipes trace the edges of the upper facade. Between the original brickwork and the new addition above, a concrete slab and spandrel provide both fire separation and visual delineation, articulating the seam between historic and contemporary fabric.
© Edward Birch
From the street, the corner elevation reveals three arched windows set against the sky. Their sculptural presence balances the Art Deco heritage with the light yet confident touch of the addition.
© Luigi Rosselli & Edward Birch