Some houses are born famous and some houses become famous. This iconic Sydney home that sits teetering over the cliffs at Dover Heights is one that was born famous. As controversial in its planning stages as it is now universally admired, the Durbach Block house has become a favourite and a classic in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.





Durbach Block say of the project: “The plan of Holman House refers to Picasso’s painting The Bather. It contains a complex series of fluid living spaces set within a meandering perimeter that arcs, folds and stretches in response to sun, landscape and views.”




“Living and dining areas cantilever out over the ocean, allowing dramatic views up and down the coast.”


“The lower floor forms a base that is built from rough stone walls like an extension of the cliff below.These walls continue along the cliff edge to form a series of eccentric terraced gardens and a vase-shaped rock pool.”




Photography by: Peter Bennetts, Brett Boardman, Anthony Browell, Chris Cole, John Gollings, Reiner Blunck