Studied Simplicity

For years, Sydney-based architect William Smart didn’t have to commute to work. After a day in the studio, he simply headed upstairs to the flat he designed for himself and his partner, John Adcock.

‘We finished it ten years ago and it’s become like a treehouse in the city,’ says Smart. Located on the corner of Bourke and Ridge streets in the busy suburb of Surry Hills, the building is close to shops and pubs, but Smart’s clever use of greenery makes the indoor-outdoor space a tranquil retreat. ‘You feel like you’ve completely escaped — it’s quite an unusual feeling. It’s like sitting in a garden in the middle of the city.’

It’s been 15 years since Smart bought the property, which contains a double terrace house and an old stable. He converted the latter into an office for his architecture firm and then set to work on a top-floor addition to the house. ‘We really wanted to explore the orientation of the building,’ says Smart. ‘It faces north, so it gets great winter sun, and it’s quite well shaded in summer.’

The result is what Smart describes as a ‘glass pavilion’ that is open to the surrounding city without sacrificing privacy, thanks to the abundance of trees lining both streets.

A structure made from expressed steel and aluminium stretches up and over from the back end of the terrace house to form a roof for the flat and a canopy that projects out over the front terrace. ‘It has aluminium battens that work structurally — we wanted it so there were no visible bolts and it all fits together beautifully,’ says Smart. ‘It gives it that American Case Study House feeling, where it’s quite pared-back and simple in its materials, but there’s great attention to detail.’

That extends indoors, where Smart used travertine, Corian, steel and walnut to give the space a ‘classic’ feel that ages well. The bathroom, however, is more peculiar. Clad in terrazzo, a material that was thought ‘a lowbrow finish’ at the time, it was considered by many early visitors as like ‘a public toilet’. But now that terrazzo is back in style, it gets plenty of compliments.

There are other personal quirks, like the narrow bookshelf that wraps around the living room beneath the windows. ‘We love architecture books, and the shelf feels good in the space because it’s very linear,’ he says. Another highlight that speaks to Smart’s personal tastes is louvre windows. ‘I love the very Australian aesthetic of the louvres,’ he says. ‘Mostly it’s driven by the aesthetics, but practically they’re also a great way of ventilating the space.’

Smart and Adcock furnished the flat with an eclectic mix of pieces, including a vintage 1970s-era Mario Marenco sofa and a table made from material salvaged from a demolished building. Soon that will all go — the property was recently sold to another couple. But the space will continue to evolve. Smart, whose father collected vintage cars and who cites automotive design as one of his influences, compares it to a distinctive old car. ‘As time moves on it becomes more and more individual,’ he says.