Borogegal tribe
NSW
When our client bought this hillside house overlooking Balmoral Beach in Sydney, it had already suffered several renovations since being built in the 1980s. Set over three levels with car garaging on top and two subsequent levels below, the building and its facades were conventional and defensive, with only a tentative connection to the spectacular harbourside setting.
The goal in redesigning was to temper the heat load to the eastern facade, improve the flow and outlook of rooms, create intimacy for the bedrooms and drama for the living spaces – all without increasing the original building footprint.
We wrapped the building in a new double height planted balcony that adds privacy to first floor bedrooms, and sun-shading to the ground floor. A redundant first floor balcony was deleted, allowing us to carve out a double-height living area that’s overlooked by a mezzanine library, opened up to light with sky-catching glass walls.
The Australian Institute of Architects acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands, waters, and skies of the continent now called Australia.
We express our gratitude to their Elders and Knowledge Holders whose wisdom, actions and knowledge have kept culture alive.
We recognise First Nations peoples as the first architects and builders. We appreciate their continuing work on Country from pre-invasion times to contemporary First Nations architects, and respect their rights to continue to care for Country.
