Designed by mcmahon and nerlich

From the architects:

The owners of this home were both client and developer.

They initially aspired to reside in a converted-warehouse within the neighbourhood they loved, yet were facing the challenge of competing with deep-pocket developers for tightly held large plots.

This led to their inspired decision to create a ‘renovated-warehouse’ townhouse from the ground up on a compact site – and so pose us with the technical challenge of designing it from scratch.

Spatial arrangements provide opportunity throughout to showcase the owners’ cherished artefacts, paintings, and furniture – ensuring the home would reflect their unique story and personality, another important brief requirement.

The location is in the back streets of a gritty yet desirable inner-urban suburb, where local bars, cafes and nightlife jostle with parks, cottages, warehouses and apartments, providing an apt setting for the home’s robust urban expression.

In response to this setting, we created a recycled-brick ground floor ‘container’ for the house which rises to a parapet, announcing the warehouse precedent.

An upper-level terrace is tucked in behind the parapet – within a façade that plays solid-void with the engineering feat of the suspended concrete pool above generous steel doors to the living zone.

In-setting the first floor allowed for a linear skylight to provide light penetration deep into the ground floor below, and a generous ceiling height upstairs was critical to achieve the warehouse feel.

Functionality was also a priority.

There are two bedroom wings/ zones at ground floor level.

Tightened planning controls and reduction of the No. of Storeys, had necessitated meticulous planning.

In response, we managed to achieve a primary bedroom oasis, tucked behind the dramatic spiral stair at the end of the corridor.

A generous laundry cupboard zone leads to the garage and side access to the ground level courtyard, while arranging it this way allowed for a spatial generosity to the corridors

Creativity is evidenced through the spatial and material strategies that allowed us to recreate a convincing warehouse feel.

We also used light to craft space; the entry corridor with spiral stair nestled into the end is washed with the soft light from a dramatic 5.4m long linear skylight, enhancing the curves of the end wall and spiral stair.

In the ensuite, it is light washing down from the full-width skylight that provides the spatial drama, highlighting the serene and beautiful quality of the tiles selected by owner Kim Edwards.

We prioritised spatial generosity and flow over normative plan outcomes, including introducing curved ends to walls and benches, and the ‘wow’ of the generous 3.75m ceiling heights of the first floor, critical to providing the spatial quality of a converted warehouse.

Soaring windows provides light from three sides and a serene quality throughout the day.

Aesthetically, colour is used as a narrative device, with owner-selected lights and tiles, Spanish-inspired interior and landscape elements also selected by the owners, and a consistent green steel design detail threaded throughout the interior and exterior realms.

Robust reclaimed timber pergola beams, eclectic lighting and the sculptural drama of the external spiral stair and bespoke screen rising to the roof deck and plunge pool above, provide the engaging urban and aesthetic presence we were seeking.

See the related bathroom story here.