The architect

Born in Abruzzo in southern Italy, Renato D’Ettorre emigrated to Australia as a boy in the 1960s. He studied architecture at UTS, and worked with Harry Seidler, until a gap year took him to Sardinia and Rome, where he explored his architectural ancestry, and worked with architect Paolo Portoghesi and engineer Pier Luigi Nervi. Returning to Australia, he first worked with Romaldo Giurgola (architect of Australia’s Parliament House) before his breakthrough solo commission, South Coogee House, launched the practice in 1994. Today Renato and his team continue to create celebrated contemporary spaces of enduring value, craftsmanship and soul.

The studio story

Built for the bold, designed for the discerning

We’re a small Sydney-based architectural practice with a quietly disruptive track record: few projects, many awards. For us, that’s no accident — it’s intention. We believe high-end residential architecture should be deeply personal, daringly refined, and quietly timeless. We design for those who don’t want what everyone else has — but something that feels like it could only be theirs.

Our work is not about chasing trends. It’s about crafting spaces that feel inevitable in their setting — homes with permanence, poise, and soul. Whether it’s a clifftop coastal retreat or a heritage-sensitive inner-city renovation, we look at each brief as a chance to create a home that’s emotionally intelligent, materially rigorous, and utterly liveable.

We design slowly and precisely. Every curve, every cut of stone, every frame to the landscape is intentional. Our approach is collaborative, investigative, and built on deep trust with our clients. We’re not in the business of building fast — we’re in the business of building right.

And the industry has taken notice. While we’ve completed a modest number of projects, our work has earned recognition far beyond our scale — a reflection of our obsessive commitment to quality and originality. But awards, while affirming, are not our finish line. The real win is when a client steps into their finished home and says: “This feels like us.”

For clients seeking something unforgettable — not louder, but better — we are the studio that delivers fewer projects, more deeply. If you’re looking to create a residence that’s both ambitious and enduring, we’re ready to begin.  

Renato D’Ettorre

Creative Director

Belinda Brown

Interior Design Director

Tom Monahan

Senior Project Architect

Jade Bolton

Interior Designer