New South Wales
Rosetta is locally listed with a heritage residence, originally designed in the Inter War Mediterranean Style with Georgian Influences. The L shaped plan, cradles two sides of the courtyard garden adding to the enclosed nature of the sunken garden, the other two sides are defined by significant trees.
This is a delicate restoration of the house and a skillful re-imagining internally for modern use, creating new living spaces that relate to the rear well established garden and kidney shaped pool. The existing buttressed sandstone retaining wall is extended to create the podium base that supports the house above, five new archways punctuate the new stone wall.
The scope of work is consistent with the Inter War Mediterranean context and the use of sympathetic materials and details mitigates the visual impact of the changes.
When we purchased the home the heritage aspects were a large part of the attraction to us. The general condition of the interior was tired and there were also some settlement cracks in the external walls as the foundations are in sand.
The design benefits the way we live by successfully integrating the old and new by enhancing the old with subtle works to suit our modern active lifestyle. Our contemporary art and furniture has a wonderful dialogue with the soul of the old home that we are proud custodians of.
Geoff Ninnes Fong and Partners, Structural Engineer
Hugh-Jones Mackintosh, Interior Designer
Myles Baldwin Design, Landscape Consultant
Planning Ingenuity, Town Planner
Prue Ruscoe, Photographer
Weir Phillips Heritage, Heritage Consultant
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.
