On Tharawal country, Gerroa lies on the South Coast of NSW. The site occupies a steep slope, looking south over Seven Mile Beach and towards the Indigenous landmark Cullunghutti. The project comprises a single diagonal ridge, with a hole in the middle for a protected deck. The compact pavilion sits on an elevated galvanised steel platform, hovering above the steep terrain. A simple timber wedge sits atop the steel platform, clad entirely in recycled ironbark timber. The landscape is an ongoing project of repair and local food growing. Noxious weeds were replaced by 2000+ plants to recreate native second-line coastal vegetation, providing slope stability and habitat for birds. A permaculture food forest has been established to feed the human inhabitants. Designing to maximise off-site fabrication allowed us to minimise installation time on site. This was achieved by our-hands on role during construction, providing digital models and drawings directly to fabricators. Having yourself as a client creates one of the most difficult design conversations to have in practice. The architect’s ambitions ran up against the client’s budgetary constraints throughout the process; navigating ultimate freedom of expression vs design restraint constituted a perpetual battle of wills. Despite the obvious tensions, conflict of interest and rife indecision, what a wonderful opportunity to make a work of architecture, and one that is part of lifelong learning.