the white cladding reflects sunlight With its soaring This high-performance home, designed cathedral ceilings, to keep its cool even on the hottest of Queensland days, epitomises the pinnacle glamorous private pool of luxurious resort-style living in which and picturesque views, liveability and comfort are enhanced by smart, Pacific Pinnacle is an eco-conscious design. The house was designed and built by Eco- extraordinary residence Essence Homes, which was established by builders that lives up to its name in Wayne Kelly and Jeremy Magee seven years ago, just as the industry was emerging from the grip of more ways than one. the global financial crisis. Their point of difference – delivering fully customised, sustainable, and energy-efficient homes at an affordable price BUILDER: point – has proven a game-changer in the south Eco-Essence Homes Queensland housing market. LOCATION: The Pacific Pinnacle – a delicious blend of Gold Coast hinterlands tropical luxe and Hamptons charm – evolved from the company’s highly successful ‘Pacific’ range of homes. The design was meticulously customised to accommodate the client’s particular lifestyle brief, as well as the block of land it was built on – a north- easterly facing site in the lush Gold Coast hinterlands. ‘The client really wanted to have a resort lifestyle,’ Jeremy explains. ‘She also wanted the home to be low-maintenance, open and airy.’ It’s all been achieved – thanks to masses of glazing, open and shaded entertaining decks, high raked ceilings, and a heated pool, cleverly positioned for absolute privacy, that laps at the walls of the house. The 620-square metre, four-bedroom home flows seamlessly – indoors and out – along a single level in a series of interlinked pavilions. This approach was employed specifically to add flexibility to the floorplan and reduce energy consumption. ‘We designed it in separate wings, each with their own bathroom, so the client can close off each wing when she’s there by herself. This eliminates the need to heat and cool areas that aren’t being used, which is a big part of the sustainable design,’ Jeremy says. For a touch of whimsy – and to visually link the home with the surrounding landscape – glass panels were set into the floor of the internal walkways between the pavilions. These floor ‘windows’ reveal glimpses of the dry creek bed, engineered by Eco- Jeremy Magee of Essence, which wends its way beneath the decks Eco-Essence Homes and pavilions towards the back of the house. 26 HOUSING MAY 2018 SECTION • SUBSECTION