‘Eyesore’: Advertising guru’s plans for record-breaking $45 million Tamarama headland home divide opinion

An advertising guru has revealed plans for Australia’s most expensive oceanfront property — but not all of his neighbours are happy.

An advertising guru has revealed his plans for Australia’s most expensive oceanfront property — but not all of his neighbours are happy.

David Droga, chief executive of Accenture Song and founder of global advertising agency Droga5, snapped up the 1100 square metre home on the iconic Tamarama headland last May for an eye-watering $45 million, smashing eastern suburbs records.

David Droga paid $45 million for ‘the best piece of land in Sydney’. Picture: Supplied

The four-bedroom, two-bathroom brick bungalow at 31 Gaerloch Ave, positioned along the popular Bondi to Bronte walk, sat on the market for seven months before Mr Droga made what he later described as the “wonderfully irresponsible” purchase.

“I always thought it was the best piece of land in Sydney,” he told AdNews in October.

“When it came up, the stars were aligned, and it felt like a wonderfully irresponsible thing to do.”

The price tag for 31 Gaerloch Ave smashed records. Picture: Supplied

The old bungalow, known as Lang Syne, was built in 1920s and last sold for £9750 in 1959.

It has since been demolished to make way for the New York-based ad-man’s new trophy holiday home, designed by prominent architect Luigi Rosselli.

Luigi Rosselli Architects this week shared images of the new project, dubbed Tamarama Headland Sea Change, revealing a unique design featuring eye-catching “cocoon” shaped structures made from reused sandstone, brick and slate.

Australian-born global advertising guru David Droga. Picture: Nigel Barker Photography

“The top-line brief David and Marisa provided was a simple one — design a family home worthy of such a special and breathtaking location,” Luigi Rosselli Architects said on its website.

“Something beautiful, and organic, that exists in harmony with its natural surroundings and its occupants. A generational home that gives more than it takes. The family were seeking a home where they could come together from their scattered locations across the world and get back to the source — a place to be reunited, replenished, and cocooned.”

One neighbour blasted the proposed design as an ‘eyesore’. Picture: Luigi Rosselli Architects

The firm said the design approach for this “new Australian icon” was “to retain the organic beauty of the site, with its wind-carved rocks, through an organic plan with a counterpoint play of eroded horizontal slabs and cocoon shaped vertical breaks”.

The vertical breaks will be constructed with the bricks, slate roof tiles and sandstone retained from the demolition of the existing home on the site.

The new home will feature eye-catching ‘cocoon’ shaped structures. Picture: Luigi Rosselli Architects

“These vertical structures are a representation of a defining aspect of the project for both Luigi Rosselli Architects and the Droga family — a commitment to honour and preserve the history of the land by reclaiming and reusing materials from the original property, and giving them new purpose in the construction of the new family residence,” it said.

“Though the practicalities of the brief were fairly modest, its realisation will seek to foster a sense of connection, both human, and to the natural surroundings.”

Every aspect of the design is a “sympathetic dialogue between the house and its natural surroundings”.

One agent said it would be the first $100 million house on the coast. Picture: Luigi Rosselli Architects

“Expansive windows frame the ocean views, and carefully curated outdoor spaces and generous landscaping featuring majority native planting, embed the home within the landscape,” the architect said.

“Planted into the tightest gaps of the structures, over the roof, and cascading from the balcony edges, fast growing plants and lichens will rapidly assimilate the house into its natural surroundings.”

The old bungalow, since demolished, was built in the 1920s. Picture: Jeremy Piper

But the owner of one nearby $17 million home told news.com.au the designs were “horrific”.

“Blight on the landscape,” they said. “Eyesore. What the actual f**k.”

Plans are set to be lodged with Waverley Council for the what the architect describes as the “wondrous and awe-inspiring” new residence, which DA documents estimate will cost around $9.5 million to build.

The ‘organic’ home will blend with the surroundings. Picture: Luigi Rosselli Architects

“The design [for the house] will be unique befitting the unique location, it has the potential of being our best building for the decade … or longer,” Mr Rosselli said in a statement on his website.

Local prestige agent Simon Exleton of Pillinger told The Wentworth Courier this week that once the home is completed in 2026, regardless of the build cost, “it will be the first $100 million house on the coast” and would mean Tamarama “rises to the top as Sydney’s most desirable beachside real estate”.