Uniting Wesley Gardens

Belrose's highest point offers something rare—water views framed by untouched bushland. This five-hectare site sits where suburbia meets Garigal National Park. Ancient Indigenous art at Lizard Rock reminds us this land holds deeper stories. We saw potential where planning frameworks suggested problems. Asset Protection Zones eat into developable area. Deferred matter zoning creates complexity. Warringah's outdated LEP adds layers. We turned constraints into creative fuel. The question became: how do we nestle 260 homes into bushland without losing the Northern Beaches' intimate scale?

Seven buildings dance with topography. Each finds its own relationship to views—some frame water glimpses, others embrace canopy connection. We keep existing trees, weave landscape corridors between buildings. Native plantings extend the surrounding bushland inward.

Community spaces create natural meeting points. Building A houses wellness facilities alongside aged care—pool, gym, cinema, café. Building D's rooftop terrace captures 360-degree views. We kept the church, retained the childcare centre. Three generations share this ridgeline now.

Materials speak quietly to context. Colours echo bushland tones without mimicking them. Building heights step with the slope. Outdoor spaces feel carved from landscape, not imposed upon it. The masterplan reads like a small village.

Walking paths connect clusters. Private courtyards offer retreat. Communal gardens encourage encounter. Everything relates to something bigger—the ridge, the park, the community we're helping grow.