Double Bay, Sydney, Australia

Located in Double Bay, along Sydney’s natural harbour, this two storey home was designed by SAOTA Architecture and Design in collaboration with TKD Architects, with interior design studio ARRCC.  

The elevation of this home appears as a collection of planes – a play on space, privacy and threshold. Graphite grey sail screens feature heavily in the facade, and are made from Kaynemaile, a polycarbonate chainmail developed in New Zealand, and derived from the concept of chain mail armour to create a unique architectural mesh. These cleverly placed screens provide privacy from the road and maximise without obstructing views of the park beyond. Timber cladding, plastered mass walls, and a window sill punched through these screens, create further planes and depth in an otherwise linear façade.

The bayside wing of the house is an open plan space. Stairs, rather than walls, delineate the raised kitchen and family dining from the more formal areas. These stairs extend seawards into the garden, forming a line of axis and drawing the eye out to the view. The garden is raised above the towpath to provide additional privacy from the beach, and to dissolve the distinction between the garden and bay from within.

The use of wood, white walls and travertine floors in the interior reflect the house’s beautiful seaside setting, whilst off-shutter concrete is used as a playful accent and appears almost soft and textured in contrast to the crisp folds of screen and aluminium in the exterior.