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The conversion of an industrial feeling timber yard in Sydney's inner city suburb of Surrey Hills. The building redeifined the heritage site, without abandoning the history of its area and in the process created a secure home for the owner.
The design centres around the courtyard, which uses all the primary materials for the project - eg concrete, stone, zincalume, timber and steel.
Calm and cool with pools of water and stepping stones, it defines the mood and the configuration of the new building, dropped like a double crown into the old brick shell.
It is an environment that is both secure and private due to various techniques introduced. It has a strong street presence but it turns inwards.
At ground level, hexagonal alucobond louvres control light to the bedrooms. Above them, the huge sliding glass doors are shaded by a half-awning of Zincalume. (Very Australian). A cedar battened wall conceals a barbeque and deck. At night, lights shine under the surface of the pond and as the breeze moves, the water ripples and reflects up the concrete walls.
Surface and surface texture are crucial elements of the building. Each surface has its own character.
The massive Canadian Douglas fir beams in the living room were cut from 17-meter beams that once spanned the factory floor. These beams delineate the living area from the kitchen which is made from silky oak timber. Gnarled and still bearing black traces of years of industrial grit and dirt, the beams are a piece of art in their own right.
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