Gadigal people of the Eora nation
New South Wales
The walls of this gem hold 150 years of stories frozen in time, now meticulously restored. Unfolding a narrative that defies spatial limits says Victor Alcami, Director of Alcami Architecture.
The fully openable ground floor with sliding panels transforms into an open space haven. A visionary design with outdoor elements inspired by Mediterranean vernacular architecture infuse cultural nostalgia, while elevated mirrors expand the space with an infinite perspective.
A love letter to Victorian terraces, the operable courtyard, a symphony of custom design, breaths fresh air. Sunlight dances, highlighting the natural finishes, while a vibrant orange bathroom promises indulgent selfcare. Sustainability whispers through repurposed materials and repaired walls, ensuring longevity.
Metallic finishes echo Chippendale’s industrial heartbeat, blending Modernism, Japanese seduction, and reminiscences from European interior design. Alcami’s style resonates with transitional mystery, offering an aspirational escape through art and architecture, inviting a desire for more tales from this poetic design journey.
Award for Residential Architecture – Houses (Alterations and Additions)
True to its name, Terrace House Mirage is an utterly unexpected and delightful interpretation of urban living that captures the essence of constrained spaces with a finesse that borders on the miraculous.
Behind an unassuming front door, the interior unfolds as a captivating narrative from the point of entry down the entire length of the terrace. A masterstroke of spatial choreography is the insertion of mirrored walls that dissolve and expand the perception of spatial boundary.
Drawing from the client’s Spanish heritage and his deep love of orange, the design response is an inventive ode to Spanish tradition with bold moments of colour applied with confidence and aptitude, particularly in the bathroom.
At its core, this project celebrates the fluidity of indoor/outdoor living, a theme woven intricately into every detail. From the introduction of an interior courtyard to the insertion of the kitchen ‘desk’ (a cooktop that transforms into an outdoor dining table commonly found in Spain), each element serves to blur the boundaries between inside and out, inviting the sky, the landscape and natural elements into the fabric of the design.
EmAGN Project Award
This delightful rethinking of an inner-city worker’s terrace is quirky, specific, and imaginative. Rooted in strong theoretical ambitions about family, culture and film, the adaptive reuse of the terrace balances luxury on a shoestring – genuflecting to simplicity and unfussiness rather than overworked detailing. There was passion abounding in the project, capturing the collaborative spirit of the client and architects working relationship.
ALCAMI Architecture has shown how narrow our interpretation of a terrace house reworking has come to be – instead this project oozes delight and joy, it is idiosyncratic and perfect for someone who believes it to be. It is perhaps not everyone’s cup of tea – but it is most certainly the owner’s cup!
Congratulations to the architects for showing us that diversity comes in many forms and that a personal interpretation of space, of opening up and closing down, of stretching and limiting are relevant investigations at a time when diversity in housing is important and genuine.
My Victorian terrace is a canvas for living life to the fullest, seamlessly blending indoor and outdoor spaces.
Imagine waking up to a rain shower, stepping into a light filled, mirrored space with a hidden kitchen where to socialise with friends. My office, bathed in natural light, becomes a haven of focus, while the courtyard transforms into a space for Freestyle Step aerobics, my personal passion.
Open kitchen dining areas facilitate socializing, and the bathroom features a vibrant orange resin bathtub for decadent selfcare. Adaptable design elements allow me to personalise my space, making it a true extension of myself.