EM BE CE

A Kitchen Designed to Perform At the heart of Harbourside House, the kitchen is more than a place to cook. It is a central hub, open, adaptable and designed for a family who enjoy their cooking as much as their entertaining. Rather than a conventional arrangement with a hidden butlers pantry, we created a suite of kitchen spaces that support both everyday meals and event preparation. There are two main areas that work in tandem: the front kitchen opening to the dining, living and balcony and the back kitchen for cooking, event staging and preparation. The operable splashback provides connection between the two, allowing the space to open or close as needed. A compact study space with a cookbook library is also included with views of the garden and the harbour beyond. Together, the kitchen, pantry and study from a flexible zone that adapts to the rhythm of the day and supports different patterns of family living. Project Team: Mladen Prnjatovic, Ben Green, Samuel Mok, Nico Locane, Nicole Larkin, Lyndsey Fitzgerald, Madeleine Dawson, Kimberley Merlino, Bronson Fung and Juliana Conceico. Builder: @joinconstructions

Light and Movement Carved into a steep cliffside, Hillside Residence unfolds across four levels. At its centre, a single stair draws light deep into the home and connects each floor with a continuous and fluid movement. The stair is both a circulation spine and a sculptural element. Its white steel balustrade catches and reflects natural light, softening shadows and extending daylight through the lower levels. The colour and curvature align with the surrounding walls and ceiling, so the stair feels less like an insertion and more like an extension. A gentle gesture that unfurls through the heart of the house. Project Team: Mladen Prnjatovic, Ben Green, Samuel Mok, Nico Locane, Nicole Larkin, Lyndsey Fitzgerald, Madeleine Dawson, Kimberley Merlino, Bronson Fung and Juliana Conceicao Builder: @joinconstructions Fabricator: @jsbalustrading

The first touch. The front door marks the threshold from the public street into the private space of a family home. For our Hillside Residence, the door handle was designed as a unique personal element, sized to fit the hands of its two owners and crafted to reflect the character of the house. The design began with hand sketches, developed through digital models and 3D printed prototypes, tested and refined by the clients themselves. The final form was cast in solid bronze here in Sydney, using the traditional lost wax method, each step shaped by hand and driven by the material. The result is a tactile and sculptural detail, deeply personal to its owners and a warm invitation to their home. It is also a celebration of local manufacturing and craftsmanship. Project Team: Mladen Prnjatovic, Ben Green, Samuel Mok, Nico Locane, Nicole Larkin, Lyndsey Fitzgerald, Madeleine Dawson, Kimberley Merlino, Bronson Fung and Juliana Conceicao Project Builder: JOIN (@joinconstructions ) Fabricator: Custom Castings (@customcastings_ ) .

Happy Holidays from EM BE CE! It’s been a great year and we want to thank our clients, consultants and colleagues for your support and collaboration. Our studio will be closed from Tuesday 23rd of December and reopening Tuesday 13th January 2026. Artwork: Lisa Shao

AIA NSW Chapter Council Elections Ben is seeking support from AIA NSW members in the upcoming Chapter Council elections. He has been an active member of the Institute for many years, contributing to the awards program as both juror and chair of jury. Ben is now looking to broaden his contribution and bring a fresh voice to the Council. His focus is on advocating for members, addressing the issues that shape practice today, and helping strengthen the relevance and impact of AIA. Voting closes 17 December. Link to vote in bio. This link also includes an outline of the experience Ben hopes to bring to the Chapter Council. If you have any questions or issues you would like Ben to raise should he be elected, he would welcome the conversation. Thank you for your support.

Set above Coolum Beach, this coastal development celebrates connection to the landscape, the ocean and the rhythms of everyday life. An L-shaped building form ensures every apartment enjoys sweeping ocean views and a strong connection to the lush shared garden below. Perforated screens let each residence open up fully to sea breezes while managing sunlight, privacy and framing the views, creating a rich textured facade of light and shade. Together these elements define a retreat that feels both open and deeply grounded in its coastal setting. Architecture: EM BE CE Project Team: Mladen Prnjatovic, Ben Green, Sophie Coulier, Sarah Zaki, Tim Lau Developer & Builder: Chilli Invest Pty Ltd Planner: Mewing Planning Consultant Landscape: Dangar Barin Smith Acoustic Engineer: Renzo Tonin BCA Consultant: Knisco Civil Engineer: Van Der Meer Hydraulic Services: Van Der Meer Structure: Van Der Meer Electrical Services: Stantec Fire Engineer: Stantec Mechanical Services: Stantec Renders: Render House Studios Survey: ONF Surveyors Traffic Engineer / Waste management: ITE Consulting

Congratulations to our Director, Chi Melhem, on her reappointment to the NSW State Design Review Panel. Chi has been part of the SDRP since its pilot in 2019, supporting better design outcomes for projects and communities across NSW. We’re excited for her continued contribution to this important work.

We are pleased to announce that Alex, Sarah, Sam & Harry have been promoted to Senior Architect. This is in recognition of their initiative, collaborative approach and strong design and delivery skills. Alex has been a core part of the team on numerous projects which range from single family homes, apartments, Metro bids and masterplans. He often provides key support on a significant number of other projects throughout the office in various stages. His adaptability and generosity are felt across everything aspect of studio life. Sarah has shown remarkable strength in leading projects with clarity and calm. From her early work on single family homes through to Wollongong Hospital Masterplan, she has demonstrated not only a strong and distinctive design talent, but also her effortless ability to make things happen through calm communication and astute collaboration. Sam’s project leadership on multiple complex high end homes from design through to construction has shown his remarkable design talent and skill in delivering complex architectural work with quiet confidence. He leads with focus and care, his contributions continue to shape the practice’s design quality and delivery. Harry’s contribution spans many key projects, from single family homes through to affordable/BTR apartments. He brings focused energy and thoughtfulness to every stage of the process. He’s also played a key role in the studio’s social media presence and design communications, shaping how we present ourselves to the world. We look forward to Alex, Sarah, Sam & Harry’s continued growth at EM BE CE.

We are pleased to announce that Sophie has been promoted to Associate. This recognises Sophie’s consistent project leadership and contribution to design quality across the studio. From projects like Alexandria Commercial, The Kirk, Coolum and Hall St, Sophie brings commitment, passion, clarity, empathy and rigour to every project she touches as well as mentoring to a lot of the team. We look forward to her continued impact on both our work and culture.

We are pleased to announce that Nico & Rena have been promoted to Senior Associate. This new role has been created for the first time to recognise that the time has come to broaden our leadership team. The new role creates opportunities for Nico & Rena to continue to lead the studio and contribute with their depth of experience, knowledge across projects, and generous mentorship and contribution to the management of the practice. Their insight, care and professionalism are felt across everything we do, and we look forward to their ongoing contribution to the growth and leadership of EM BE CE.

With only 9 residences, our boutique waterfront project in Kirribilli is set on Mary Booth Reserve and frames the iconic outlook of Sydney Harbour and The Harbour Bridge. The architecture is deeply contextual, responding to the site’s rich heritage, materiality and character. The design is sculpted in brick and copper, grounding the building with a sense of permanence and quiet elegance. Each residence is carefully planned from the inside out, framing the views and light with precision and restraint. Developed by MADE, with interiors by Ennen & Co, Landscape Architecture by Dangar Barin Smith, this is a special design collaboration of architecture, interiors and landscape. #architecture #contemporary #heritage #conservation #kirribilli #sydney #harbour #apartments #luxury #home #garden #brick #copper #texture #light #lifestyle Architecture: @em_be_ce Project Team: Chi Melhem, Mladen Prnjatovic, Nico Locane, James Crookston, Marcie Dounis, Alexander Lim, Sarah Yap Interiors: @ennenandco Landscape Architecture: @dangarbarinsmith Developer and Builder: @made.property Visualisations by @hoynedesign

We’re proud to share that our co-living development at 23 Hughes Street, Potts Point has been approved through the Land and Environment Court. The project delivers much needed housing diversity in the city with 21 rooms, a range of generous communal spaces and a lush green roof. Our design uses carefully selected brickwork of various textures and patterns to ensure the project contributes to the rich architectural fabric of the neighbourhood, while the use of brick screens maximises both ventilation and privacy to the rooms themselves. This project embraces co-living not just as a typology, but as a chance to support social connection in a high quality urban environment. We look forward to bringing this to life with our incredible client and team. #architecture #archdaily #housing #coliving #cohousing #communalliving #housingtypology #sydney #sydneyarchitecture #brick #brickarchitecture #landscape #urbandesign #arquitectura #architettura Architecture and Interiors: EM BE CE Project Team: Ben Green, Chi Melhem, Rena Wang, Amy Lieu, Marcie Dounis, Harry Kealy, Tim Lau Client: Ramzey Choker Planner: The Planning Studio Legal: McKees Legal Solutions Heritage: Paul Davies Landscape: HTS Landscape Structural: Dunnings Engineers Services: Neuron Arborist: Horticultural Management Services Render: Narratives Graphics Visualisation by Narrative Graphics and Tim Lau