TWO HOUSES, BONDI BEACH – PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project is a pair of houses located near Bondi Beach in the valley of an old watercourse. The surrounding building stock is of poor quality comprising a disparate mix of houses, semis and apartment buildings.

The two houses are divided into three linear parts. The main rooms are defined by a series of parallel masonry blade walls running north/south. These blades define the open ended living space and act as “blinkers” to minimise the impact of the neighbouring properties.

The minor spaces (stair, ensuite and laundry) are located in a central spine. The hierarchy of spaces within the houses are expressed on the elevation – the spine is set back whilst the blades project forward. The selection of materials reinforces this idea.

Our intention was to connect the sunlight from the north with the garden to the south through the volume of the house. There is minimal glazing in the blade walls so the spatial focus is emphasised and extended into the landscape.

Varying floor levels and placement of joinery within the downstairs room give definition to different areas – the dining area with a slatted screen, the kitchen with a vertical blade wall, with the living area down three steps.

As the main space acts as a breezeway, each house is cooled by the prevailing nor’easters in summer. In winter, the low angle of the sun penetrates and warms the interiors.

Project Team: Nicholas Solomon and Caroline Larcombe