GLS House Project | Acacia Joinery

Client Needs

Acacia was commissioned to manufacture a suite of bespoke windows and doors in New Guinea Rosewood, factory-primed for a painted finish applied on site. The package included fixed and awning windows, multi-panel sliding doors, cavity sliders, and hinged and pivot doors, designed to maximise natural light, coastal views and ventilation.

Challenges

The scale and complexity of the architectural joinery presented several technical challenges. Sliding door panels reaching heights of 2.9 metres required careful engineering to ensure long-term stability and smooth operation, while the exposed coastal location demanded durable, weather-resistant joinery meeting BAL-19 bushfire requirements.

A further complexity involved cavity sliding doors integrated with external glazed balustrades. With the door cavities positioned behind the internal fireplace wall, installation needed to be precisely sequenced before the balustrades were fitted.

The steep, narrow site presented considerable logistical challenges, particularly given the scale and weight of the joinery. One substantial window assembly measured approximately 7.5 metres wide by 2.85 metres high and weighed 825 kilograms. Restricted site access, combined with deliveries across six construction stages, required careful coordination with the builder's program.

Solutions

Close collaboration between Acacia, CM Studio and LoveLife Projects was essential to resolving the project's technical and logistical requirements. Detailed shop drawings allowed complex joinery configurations, structural interfaces and installation sequences to be coordinated before manufacture.

Acacia's advanced CNC machining capabilities and extensive experience with oversized timber joinery enabled precise manufacture of the large sliding doors, deep frames and complex cavity units. Specialist construction techniques ensured the tall sliding panels maintained structural stability and smooth operation.

To accommodate restricted site access, oversized assemblies were fully assembled and tested in Acacia's workshop before being disassembled for transport and reassembled on site. Deliveries were carefully coordinated across six stages, while the cavity sliding doors were installed ahead of the external balustrades to resolve the complex interfaces without compromising the architectural design.

Outcome

The completed GLS House combines the relaxed atmosphere of a traditional Palm Beach residence with the sophistication and scale of contemporary architecture.

Acacia's expansive timber-framed windows and doors play an integral role in this transformation. Full-height glazing draws abundant natural light into the interiors, while generous sliding openings connect the living spaces to the pool, terraces and surrounding landscape. The understated white finish complements the home's shiplap cladding and exposed structural detailing, allowing the extraordinary coastal views to take centre stage.

Despite the demanding site conditions and complexity of the joinery, meticulous planning, precision manufacturing and close collaboration enabled Acacia to deliver a comprehensive suite of bespoke windows and doors across six construction stages.

“Acacia were great to work with on GLS House. Their documentation and shop drawings were clear and detailed, and communication was easy throughout the project. The architectural timber doors and windows were beautifully made, and the clients love the result. We had confidence in the quality from the outset and would happily work with Acacia again.”

George Saba, LoveLife Projects, Director/Principal Builder

GLS House

Project Details

Project Overview