Goonellabah Houses | Pearson Architecture

Goonellabah Houses | Pearson Architecture | Photographer: Andy Macpherson Studio

2026 National Architecture Awards Program

Goonellabah Houses | Pearson Architecture

Traditional Land Owners

Widjabul Wia-bal People of the Bundjalung Nation

Year
2026
Chapter

NSW Regional

Region

Regional

Category
Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing
Builder
JH Beohm Building
Photographer
Andy Macpherson Studio
Media summary

Terraced into the fall of the land and oriented to the path of the sun and mountain views, the Goonellabah Houses are single storey homes that connect with the ground contours of their sloping site, preserving the aspect of their neighbours.

The client brief was focused on native landscape gardening and careful maintenance of the interface with the farmland below to establish firebreaks. Located in a Northern Rivers community in need of new housing, the project doubles the density of housing in an established regional neighbourhood without compromising privacy or amenity.

Environmentally responsive and modest in scale, these two homes for one family take a site specific approach to building new housing in an established regional neighbourhood.

2026
NSW Regional Architecture Awards
Shortlist – Residential Architecture – Multiple Housing

In my new home I can live easily with nothing out of my reach and with open plan living benefits. Just as importantly I’m literally in eye-level contact with the outside environment both plant & animal, particularly birds. The views are superb but the close physical contact with nature is better.

The contemporary design and modern conveniences suit my lifestyle and the space afforded by the ample off-street parking allows for visitors vehicles and for easy electric car charging.

Project Practice Team

Sara Pearson, Design Architect
Elizabeth Muir, Graduate of Architecture

Connect with Pearson Architecture

This form is now closed.