03-08-2025
Ninja Warrior takes on gravity-defying container home
Aussie parkour pro Dylan Pawson faced off against an incredible Tetris-style home built from 11 shipping containers.
Perched on a mountainside, the one-of-a-kind home made a formidable playground for stunt performer Pawson, who rose to fame in TV series Australian Ninja Warrior with twin brother, Brodie, in 2017.
On the market via an expressions of interest campaign with Coastal agent Bianca Basile, the thome at 25 Elbert Ct, Tamborine Mountain was the brainchild of owners Bradley and Natasha Hardy, who head up homewares company, Genji Homes.
It comprises eight 40-foot and three 20-foot containers, each craned in and welded into place to form a dramatic angular design over three levels.
Pawson built a custom course across the home's jutting steel forms, leaping between cantilevered containers stacked like a life-size game of Tetris.
Set against the subtropical backdrop of the Gold Coast Hinterland, the home's fortress-like facade contrasts with its Scandi-inspired interiors of earthy textures and rich tones.
The home's Danish name, Varmt Rede, or 'warm nest', reflects its welcoming atmosphere.
'It envelops you. It comforts you and protects you from the rigours of modern life,' Ms Hardy said.
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The property is basically 'indestructible', Ms Hardy said, noting its insulated steel-framed modular structure with external cladding and double-glazed windows.
'It has fireproof properties, we don't have the pest and decay issues which are typical of living in a rainforest area, and we have gone through the cyclone and a tornado in the last 18 months with no damage from either,' she said.
While rare when the Hardys built, prefabricated or modular homes have gained popularity as a cost-effective and sustainable solution to the nation's housing shortage.
In January, the Commonwealth Bank became the first Big 4 to offer loans for modular homes.
'People think shipping containers are just a rusty box, whereas they are actually a fully enclosed steel structure that has incredible strength,' Ms Hardy said.
'For us, building with containers was no cheaper than a standard steel-frame home. But because we are cascading down a hill, it provided the speed of construction, and the structure we needed to withstand the harsh environment,' she said.
Designed for multigenerational living, the five-bedroom home has a flexible layout, with the master bedroom in its own container accessed by a suspended walkway.
Highlights include a rooftop entertaining zone with a spa and sweeping coastal views, a stylish kitchen with a butler's pantry, two home offices, an open-plan living area with a fireplace, and a guest bedroom with ensuite and private entry.
Ms Basile described the home as an intersection of 'architecture, sustainability and luxury', integrating beautifully into its natural surroundings while offering comfort, style, and functionality.
'Green technologies like solar power and rainwater harvesting provide efficiency without compromising luxury,' she said.
Coastal director Rob Forde had been eager to feature Gold Coast-based Pawson in a listing, waiting six months for the perfect match to his athletic style.
'This property's unique levels and spaces lent themselves to parkour,' Mr Forde said.
Parkour is an acrobatic sport focused on moving efficiently between points by running, climbing and jumping.
The Hardys paid $177,500 for the 1,510 sqm parcel in 2015 and finished the build two years later.
'My husband and I have built and renovated many homes over the last 20 years. We have always designed non-traditional homes and had the dream to build out of containers, so when the land presented itself to do that, we engaged an architect to bring our dream to life,' Ms Hardy said.
They are selling up to relocate to regional Queensland, where they plan to build another 'forever home'.
