Time capsule

Alexander &CO. has transformed a five-bedroom house into a contemporary, materially rich and performative family dwelling with ocean views in Sydney.

Photography by Anson Smart

Located on the cliff, with a breathtaking view of the ocean, the 1990’s concrete framed house had to be fundamentally replanned. It was poorly planned and was dislocated from its views, its gardens and its room logics. The client, a young professional family, has required that the house provide for their children and the functional engineer of family life. The facades are white and textural, a backdrop onto which flowing green planting is contrasted. The concrete chassis of the old building is made more material and curves are added to the view corner doors. it is a softer, more approachable version of what it was, notwithstanding that its 90’s mystique is not altogether abolished. It becomes something of a Mediterranean inspired monolith in draping green.

The exterior facades of the building contain terraces, gardens, balconies and planted edges. The building is conceived to become lost in gardens.

Inside, the design vernacular is inspired by the client’s European Story of Origin, the practicalities of family life and the ocean adjacency. Ceiling height constraints lead to ensure that the finishes and ceiling details are focal. New steel beams support larger concrete openings within the plan and are dressed in timber to make them purposeful. Existing masonry walls have required to play within structural constraints, with room dimensions taking on careful geometries. The ground floor includes all the social areas, crossing a long corridor, on the left we find respectively: the living room, the dining area, the kitchen with the breakfast nook opening onto the rear garden and pool, while at the end it has been placed the rumpus.

The spacious living area includes Camaleonda sofa by B&B Italia which looks out across the ocean waves. A colourful rug with abstract shapes and a couple of triangular marble coffee tables add the fun and graphic look to the ambiance. Ke-Zu’s LZF Lola table lamp and Sancal’s Remnant orange armchair contribute to the diversity of the design.

The formal dining room is divided from the living only by a small wall containing a double-sided fireplace. Neutral hues have been applied throughout the room. The cream tones of the carpet and the dining table by Zuster add elegance to the space. Following the geometric traces of the living room, the painting ‘I am Bird Now II’ by Suzanna Vangelov together with the playful dining chairs by Arflex create a right contrast with the black and, on the other hand, they match the frame of the path. Edra's Favela armchair in wood adds an element of surprise to the corner of the space, paired with a ceramic stool by Alison Frith.

An expansive kitchen is located at the heart of the ground floor. All the cabinetry is made from warm-hued American oak, while panels of a paler European oak were laid across the ceiling. To accentuate further them, the designers have included the ceiling lights in a burnished brass feature. Jagged-edged pieces of Grigio Firma, Grigio Lana and Carrara marble were set into the floor. While Bianco Carrara marble was selected for the benchtop and splashback.

With a minimalist design, the cosy breakfast nook backs onto a curved window. The only protagonists are a table by CDF Studio and the custom banquette crafted using the same American oak veneer seen in the kitchen joinery.

Two arched doors at the front of the kitchen grant access to the garden with an alfresco seating area. Next to it, a new swimming pool was added in an excavation pit that had previously been created in the home's driveway. Its shape nods to the architectural style of P&O – an offshoot of modernism that was popular in 1930s Sydney and drew on the streamlined curves of Pacific and Orient-line cruise ships.

In front of the entrance to the dining area, the stairs leading to the second floor have been placed. The stairs balustrade is by JP Finsbury, while the stairs are crafted from Precision Flooring solid oak. A Yamagiwa Mayuhana II oval floor lamp by Toyo Ito is also pictured by the stairs. Spaces become slightly more muted on the floor above where we find five bedrooms, family bathroom, ensuite and robe and roof access to the upper floor. A subtle, consistent palette threads its way through each bathroom. The family bathroom features Casa White Carrara wall tiles, and Surface Gallery Sleek Grey Tumbled tiles on the floor. While in the powder room, the majestic sink is covered in Emerald quartzite. The design of both ambiances is completed by wall lights and Astra Walker faucets.

The parent's bedroom was designed to be a quiet and contemplative space offering ocean views from all angles through a large curved window. The walls are rendered in concrete while the bed frame and its headboard are made of light wood to bring warmth into the room.

To be in keeping with the design of the room, gray terrazzo and marble have been used to cover the surfaces in the private bathroom, contrasting with the gray mosaic floor pattern. Although the ensuite is well lit, a large window has been placed between it and the bedroom to give an effect of continuity. Unlike the other bathrooms, here the details are in black like the taps, lighting finishes and fixtures.