After a disappointing start for Australian projects on day one of the 2017 Inside World Festival of Interiors, a Sydney project has topped its respective category on day two of the festival’s awards.

Designed by SJB, Cleveland Rooftop beat eight other projects (including one in Australia) to claim the Residential category award. The judges commented that the project “finely balances the public and private [realms] and does so with a high degree of design rigour”.

This apartment is a new structure spanning two original rooftop elements in the suburb of Redfern. A number of skylights and a deep cut within the living space punctuates the plan, bringing the private garden into the home.

Image: Supplied

As described by SJB, “the approach architecturally was to realise a garden that you happened to live in, rather than an apartment surrounded by greenery”.

The private garden draws on and complements the adjoining communal roof garden.

Image: Supplied

“This small piece of landscape in the sky aims to contribute to the opportunistic network of small inner-city native landscape spaces and public parks that provide respite for fauna,” the architects commented.

SJB had another three projects in the running on day two. These included 12-Micron, The Buena, and Cleveland & Co. (a collaboration with BKH).

The Inside Festival is running in conjunction with the 2017 World Architecture Festival (WAF), currently being held in Berlin.

Sydney has had a good run at both festivals, with all the awarded Australian projects coming from that city. Cleveland Rooftop joins the East Sydney Early Learning Centre by Andrew Burges Architects, the EY Centre by FJMT, and Sydney Fish Markets by Allen Jack+Cottier (AJ+C) and NH Architecture.

Nicholas Rider

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