Inspired by renowned architect Richard Neutra’s Kaufmann House, Las Palmas captures the essence of California’s Palm Springs on the waterfront at Noosa Heads. Framed by palm trees and a funky garden of cacti and succulents, Las Palmas pays hommage to mid-century modern architecture through strong horizontal plains, linear volumes and a material selection of concrete roof and walls, anodized aluminum battens, feature breeze blocks and honed concrete steps and terraces.

Built by GV Emanuel Constructions, Las Palmas is a collaborative effort between the owners, who after an architectural pilgrimage to Palm Springs and a visit to the Kaufmann house, wished to integrate various mid-century modern design elements into their own property, and Tim Ditchfield Architects, who was awarded the 2021 Gabriel Poole Award for Building of the Year. Designed around a grassed courtyard, the glass walls of the main living space enable a visual connection from the street front to the river beyond, serving to anchor the home in its stunning natural environment.

Built for a couple with room for guests, the focus was on creating well considered spaces that would feel intimate for two yet be sufficiently large enough to host visitors. Emphasis has also been placed on seamless indoor / outdoor connection to enable maximum enjoyment of the stunning waterfront location.

Internally, clean lines, a material selection of concrete, timber and stone and varying floor levels, speak to the mid-century aesthetic and also ensures that the home sits in complete harmony with the surrounding natural landscape. The restrained interior allows the breathtaking views to take centre stage and colour to be introduced through furnishings and a spectacular original 1950’s sputnik chandelier, made in Italy that was sourced by the clients from Europe.

You can never sit by the same river twice and the ever-changing nature of the location allows the property to tell a different tale every day, transporting the occupants to a new world as the tide, weather and flora all change before their eyes.
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