Sydney architecture

For some years a Sydney-based family had enjoyed their holidays in a tiny pre-fabricated house on the beachfront lot but had finally outgrown it. They wanted to improve the accommodation and take better advantage of the opportunities of the location and aspect while retaining a relaxed, simple pattern of inhabiting the site.The design response was to retain the open, exposed, and windswept nature of the site, and to allow the envelope of the house to provide privacy, security, and protection from the elements, literally the house as a fence. Prue Ruscoe Prue Ruscoe The desire for a modest and unassuming presentation to the street drove the idea of the house as an object which had weathered in place in the dunes. The slanted roof... More

The River House is an informed assembly of clean lines, warm + textured materials and daring structure all housing a complex brief on a difficult site. The finished product is the result of the collaborative overcoming of many hurdles which ultimately shaped the design as much as the river itself. Caption Caption Caption Caption Caption Caption Caption Caption Caption   More

A 1960’s house has been replaced and reflected by a contemporary version of itself, with a focus that now engages as much on the surrounding garden as it does the panoramic CBD view.The original plan and massing were adapted + literally ‘flipped’ with garden elements to create a more expansive connection from inside to out. Details, fixtures and fittings are sensitive to the original home. Willem Rethmeier Willem Rethmeier Willem Rethmeier Willem Rethmeier Willem Rethmeier More

An extensive renovation to a Lower North Shore dwelling focuses on rebuilding the rear section of the home for a family of six.  Douglas Frost The design incorporates a light funnel above the primary living zone with an aperture to the sky that allows natural light to enter the space throughout the day. Douglas Frost The funnel form, which dominates the rear facade, is clad in timber shingles creating a dialogue with the existing dwelling. Douglas Frost   Additional light apertures have been integrated into the design at key junctions – one for the full height of a three storey stairwell, another one where the old house and the new wing intersect, which occurs over the master bedroom.  Douglas Fros... More

The Mosman House is a ‘Brazilian Modern’ inspired home perched on Sydney Harbour overlooking Taylors Bay. The house mediates between grounded courtyard living on the north and a dramatically cantilevered edge that addresses the enviable water views to the south. A textured and honest palette of concrete, stone, timber and steel creates a timeless and robust backdrop to the interiors, exquisitely executed by Justine Hugh-Jones, as well as the landscape, masterfully curated by William Dangar. The architecture juxtaposes ideas of solidity and intimacy, with lightness and extroversion, all beautifully crafted by the hand of County Constructions for our generous and supportive clients. More

A crafted volume is carefully connected to the retained and refashioned rear of an original 1960’s yellow brick envelope to enact clear planning, cost and environmental values in an articulated binary composition - a cellular and private front to the street, with an open and public rear that expands to its landscape setting.The original bungalow allows the cultural value of its suburban type to be preserved within its locality, while also supporting environmental and budget outcomes. Its interior carefully configures a program of bedrooms and service spaces, with vaulted skylights carved within the original roof expanding several spaces to light and sky. A sharply folding intermediary form spatially unlocks a compressed front hall while all... More