This monochromatic adaptive reuse project has won international acclaim for its deceptively simple design.
IN BRIEF
Convert what was a late 19th century former grocery warehouse into a two level, one bedroom residence.
ARCHITECT’S WORDS
In the mid 20th century the building had 35 years of use as an engineering workshop before being converted to an artist’s studio and residence in the 1970s.
The property has two street frontages, allowing clear separation of pedestrian and vehicle entries. The new front door is located in the former loading dock at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, adjacent to a heritage listed sandstone wall.
The entry is defined by a full height steel plate portal, adding to the palimpsest of former window openings and recycled brickwork that make up this façade. Internally a 1.7 metre height difference between the two streets is utilised to create the tall volume of the living space, with its floor to ceiling wall of books. The kitchen occupies the half level above, overlooking the living area and is screened by a black steel plate structure incorporating a built-in black leather bench seat.
The garage opens off the kitchen, with its internal dimensions defining the major strategic move within the design.
Once the guest bathroom/laundry/storage and the stair opposite were deducted from the internal width, together with the minimum width required for the garage, the remainder was 10 mm with which to construct the wall between the garage and stair.
This led to the adoption of the 10 mm thick steel plate structure that flows through to the entry portals, the kitchen surround and bookcase. All existing structure has been retained, lined and painted white, while all new elements are painted black. This concept is carried through to the black and white rubber flooring.
All joinery is finished in black anodised aluminium, including the bathroom on the upper level, which maintains the datum established by the height of the original window openings. The clear glazing above allows light from the new clerestory window to illuminate the formerly dark centre of the deep open planned space. Internally the bathroom is lined with Corian on both walls and floor.
The main street façade reinterprets the original but in steel rather than timber, with the address spelt out in water jet cut steel letters reflecting the original engineering workshop signage. The contrast between the precision of the steelwork and the patina of the original brickwork summarises the transformation from 19th to 21st centuries and from industrial to residential.
ACCOLADES
• Inside: World Festival of Interiors Awards, Residential Award 2011
• Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), Overall Winner 2011
• Interior Design Excellence Awards (IDEA), Single Residential Winner 2011
• Australian Interior Design Awards, NSW Best of State Residential 2011
• AIA NSW Awards, Interior Architecture Award 2011
PRODUCTS
WALLS
PAINTED PLASTERBOARD
CEILING
PAINTED PLASTERBOARD
FLOOR
DALSOUPLE, RUBBER TILES
PAINT
DULUX, VIVID WHITE
WINDOW TREATMENT
TRANSLUCENT ‘COMFORT PLUS‘ HIGH
PERFORMANCE LOW E GLASS
BATHROOM WALLS & FLOORS
CORIAN
SANITARY WARE
CAROMA, ‘CUBE‘ TOILET SUITES
CUSTOM MADE CORIAN VANITY BASINS
JOINERY
BLACK ANODISED ALUMINIUM
CLADDING
PARTICLEBOARD
HARDWARE
D LINE
BATHROOM ACCESSORIES
D LINE
KITCHEN APPLIANCES
MIELE AUSTRALIA
TAPWARE
VOLA STAINLESS STEEL
LIGHTING
DOWNLIGHTS: KREON, ‘DOWN’ WITH LED LAMPS
TASK LIGHTING: KREON, ‘DIAPASON HIDDEN’ WITH LED LAMPS
EXTERIOR LIGHTING
KREON, ‘DIAPASON’
AMBIENT LIGHTING
SERGE MOUILLE
GRATED DRAINS
STAINLESS STEEL LINEAR DRAINS
DINING AND SIDE TABLE
EERO SAARINEN FOR KNOLL FROM SHAPIRO GALLERY, VINTAGE ‘TULIP’
DINING CHAIRS
EERO SAARINEN FOR KNOLL FROM DE DE CE , ‘TULIP’
BUILT IN SEATING
PETER BYRNE AT RECOVERY UPHOLSTERY
ARMCHAIR
ANTONIO CITTERIO FOR B&B ITALIA FROM SPACE, ‘MART’
ARM CHAIRS
SHAPIRO GALLERY, VINTAGE ART DECO CHAIRS
SOFA
JEAN-MARIE MASSAUD FOR POLTRONA FRAU FROM CORPORATE CULTURE, KENNEDEE
COFFEE TABLE
PIERO LISSONI, MARC KRUSIN, CARLO TAMBORINI FOR GLAS ITALIA FROM SPACE, ‘TUNNEL’
DESK
PIERO LISSONI, MARC KRUSIN, CARLO TAMBORINI FOR GLAS ITALIA FROM SPACE, ‘BRIDGE’
STOOL
EERO SAARINEN FROM MODERN VINTAGE, VINTAGE ‘TULIP’
BED
MARCEL WANDERS FOR POLIFORM, ‘DREAM BED’
BEDSIDE TABLES
EERO SAARINEN FOR KNOLL FROM DE DE CE, ‘TULIP’
TELEPHONES
BRETT WIGNALL AT THE SYDNEY ANTIQUE CENTRE, VINTAGE PHONES
DOOR HARDWARE
KEELER HARDWARE, D LINE
BATHROOM FITTINGS
FROM KEELER HARDWARE, D LINE
TAPWARE
THE BATH HOUSE, VOLA
BATH
GIULIO CAPPELLINI FOR FLAMINIA, ‘WASH’
HANDBASINS
CORIAN BY THE ARCHITECT, CUSTOM DESIGNED
WC
CAROMA, ‘CUBE’
AMBIENT LIGHTING
SERGE MOUILLE
DOWNLIGHTS
KREON, ‘DOWN’ WITH LED LAMPS
TASK LIGHTING
KREON, ‘DIAPASON HIDDEN’ WITH LED LAMPS
EXTERNAL LIGHTING
KREON, ‘DIAPASON’ EXTERNAL SPOT LIGHT
APPLIANCES
MIELE
