In the seaside village of Gerroa on the NSW South Coast, locals and visitors alike enjoy the relaxed lifestyle and the stunning scenery. It’s in this sublime location that Neil Hipwell of Futureflip was invited to design and construct a forever home for clients – a residence aptly named Solstice.

‘The site was essentially a cliff on the water’s edge – narrow, steep and bordered by neighbouring homes,’ Neil explains. But it was what lay beneath the cliff’s rock face that caused the biggest headache.

‘We hit solid basalt rock within the first 500mm of excavation,’ he says. ‘We knew the block would be small, steep and exposed to coastal weather, but the bluestone really threw us.’ Rock of this nature is exceptionally hard, turning the excavation into more of a mining exercise.

‘Normally you’d use explosives, but that wasn’t possible in this residential area, so everything had to be cut by hand or with a small excavator blade into cubes we could move and recycle.’

The site was ultimately transformed into a level platform, allowing the home to be built 900mm off the boundary and nine metres below ground.

Futureflip has always handled its own designs, and this project provided an opportunity to push that capability to a new level.

One of the first standout features was a sculptural staircase with a lift connecting all three floors. It serves both as a dramatic centrepiece and a practical solution for the steep site.

‘We also designed a state-first fully glazed skybox that provides access to the rooftop terrace, frames panoramic views and enhances vertical circulation.’ 

One of the team’s most innovative decisions was to install a geothermal system, a rarity in residential construction. Using high-efficiency heat pumps drawing from six 100-metre-deep vertical boreholes, the system taps into the earth’s stable subsurface temperatures. ‘The result is captured thermal energy that would otherwise be lost, redirected to support spaces such as the swimming pool and spa,’ Neil explains. 

When Solstice won 2026 HIA Australian Custom Built Home and HIA Australian People’s Choice Home at the recent HIA Australian Housing Awards, Neil spoke proudly of the challenges the Futureflip team overcame during the build.

He noted that everyone – from subcontractors to consultants and the clients – worked seamlessly together. Their communication and shared commitment, he said, made the project a standout example of collaboration and partnership. ‘I couldn’t be prouder of that,’ he added.

Keen to read more about the Solstice build? Visit South Coast Solstice, the story we published following its win as the 2025 HIA NSW Home of the Year and Custom Built Home.

View all award winners

Materials

• Skybox: Roof access hatch in Dulux Natural White from Next Generation Glass & Double Glazing.
• Internal steel doors: Powder-coated steel frame in Bronze Pearl Kinetic from Vine & Vault.
• Plaster: Pastellone Venetian plaster and microcement finishes from Venetian Plaster Gallery.
• Kitchen/bathroom surfaces: Emerald quartzite and Santa Caterina travertine from Marblous Group.
• Pool interior: Ezarri mosaic tiles from Show Tile.