Marble House

The clients wanted the house to be private from the neighbours and the street. The project is designed around an internal, private, north facing courtyard with the front façade set as close to the street as possible to maximize the private outdoor area. The size of the block dictated that a planning permit was required from council, which in turn influenced the need for increased glazing on the street (western) façade. Privacy from the street at ground floor was achieved by reducing the head height of the windows to a datum height and at first floor with motorized blinds.

Another key driver for the project was to maximize the built area on the site and the feeling of space within the house. The client was intent on achieving an extensive program within the available space whilst ensuring that the spaces felt generous. Circulation spaces are wide, with full-height doors and large sliding panels allowing the flexibility to control how the internal spaces connect.

The house is focused around the north facing courtyard with large, full-height sliding doors providing an inside/outside connection between the spaces. At first floor level there is a large terrace that also acts as a covered outdoor area below. At the basement level there is a fully planted sloping light-well that connects the basement to the street level and provides an abundance of natural light.

The interior of the project was about further exploring and reinforcing the ideas that exist on the outside of the building. The steel detailing and honed marble flow seamlessly between the interior and exterior whilst the extensive black oak joinery sits perfectly within this palette and reinforces the notion that the house represents a highly crafted complete package of work. The soft furnishings were selected for their softness of form and again the restricted palette of fabrics unified the pieces together whilst having colour reference to the external elements as well.

Having a client that is as passionate about design as we are, made for a highly designed and resolved series of interior spaces where every corner, junction and material has been considered. It is rare to have this commitment by a client to every last detail. For us, this meant that the whole house reads as a complete package; the house represents a ‘complete set’.
It has also been a true testament to the skills of both the joiners and builders to construct the design without compromise.