HIGH NOTE
[ Kirribilli ]
RICH TIMBER joinery with unexpected, marquetry-like details forms the dark and dramatic spine at the centre of this apartment by architects Peter McGregor and Julia English before opening out to a luminous living zone with softly sculpted curves and spectacular harbour views. What was the brief? Peter McGregor: We have previously designed another house that the clients own to which, over the years, we have added a retractable and theatrical shade structure and a minimalist shed. Everything is always carefully talked through and tested. They are very interested in design and how things work. The Kirribilli brief was for a complete refurbishment, including the layout of the kitchen, dining, living areas and ensuite. We invited Julia English to work with us as we were understaffed and she came highly recommended. What were the challenges of the space and how did you resolve them? PM: The typical challenges of apartment interiors are the limitations imposed by existing service stacks. The clients engaged builder Paul Brandon, now retired, who with foreman Joe Mansour had just renovated the apartment above, so we were able to rework some plumbing and mechanical services to reorganise the layout. We moved the kitchen into the middle of the plan enabling the dining room to have its own view of the Opera House and the living room to be more expansive. The ensuite was rearranged to hide the toilet and provide views from the bath and shower. Much time was spent on the planning of this in concert with the builder. How would you describe the completed interior? Julia English: Composed, framed and episodic. The two major influences were the dress circle views of Circular Quay, the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge, and a large black and white painting by Dorothy Napangardi. The painting was so rich and powerful we thought that by placing it on an equally rich finish the black and white paint would shine,
“ALL OTHER FINISHES, WALLS, FLOORS AND CEILINGS WERE HIGH KEY AND HARMONIOUS TO ENABLE THE DRESS CIRCLE VIEWS TO SING.”
while being held within the space. This finish became the ‘dark core’, a unifying spine along the length of the apartment, from lobby to living room and back into the main bedroom and ensuite. It contains the services, including bathrooms, bedroom and study thresholds, guest WC, kitchen fixtures and robes. All other finishes, walls, floors and ceilings were high key and harmonious to enable the dress circle views to sing. What are some your favourite elements? PM: The very theatrical lobby wall which creates a sense of entry and connection to the dark core. Secondly, the curve and counter curves on the walls and ceiling which reconcile and integrate the radial geometry of an existing wall into what is an otherwise orthogonal space. JE: The scheme is 50 per cent joinery and hence we used this to hide the services and unify elements, which maximised the sense of space. What informed the selection of furniture, art, fittings and finishes? JE: The paintings by Dorothy Napangardi and the dress-circle views. The use of a restrained palette meant that a subtle richness could be applied in the material textures and detail, such as the brass framing of the porcelain, smoked mirror at the bar, green lino inlay on the desk, orange finish inside the study drawers, gold leaf in the lobby wall and so on. Were the owners happy with the execution? PM: The clients have a place to retreat to but also entertain in. “We have a place that exudes simplicity and calm, which is still highly functional,” they say. mwarchitects.com.au; @juliaenglisharchitects