Emerald Sound House / Luigi Rosselli Architects

There is a taste of the tropics along the eastern coast of Australia, where small bays tumble down to the waters of the Pacific Ocean. One bay in particular, located only a short distance from the Sydney CBD, is more akin to a narrow and swimmable sound and is characterised by glistening emerald waters and surrounded by a diverse collection of housing arrayed around its steep cliffs of sandstone and lush vegetation like the tiers of an amphitheatre.