ARCHITECT ADELE MCNAB AT HOME IN COPACABANA

Inspirational ARCHITECTURE

Copacabana is home to a new creative resident – talented Kiwi architect Adele McNab.

Moving from Sydney last year with her partner, Nick, and two-year-old son Riley, Adele McNab says she loves the Central Coast and is not looking back. “We never really got used to the pace of the city – it was always the plan to settle somewhere quieter near the water,” she explains. “The coast is such an inspiring place to be an architect. Our approach to each project is to adapt design responsive to people and place. There are so many beautiful locations here.” Adele graduated from Unitec School of Architecture in New Zealand with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture. While studying, she worked for a practice specialising in hotels throughout NZ and the Pacific Islands. As a graduate, she moved to Australia and worked at Stafford Architects for seven years as project architect for high-end residential projects. Now running her own small practice, she has had five busy years working on some impressive projects in Australia and New Zealand. However, her favourite to date is her own Redfern terrace that won an award for the Australian Institute of Architects in the NSW Residential Architecture category. “When we fell pregnant, Nick and I realised that we needed to either sell or renovate. It was the most dilapidated terrace on the row, falling down in places,” she says. “Redfern was also really personal for me because I’d lost my dad two years earlier and when that happened, I just had some pivotal moments where I realised that life is short. So we took on this really challenging renovation and I’m really proud of how it turned out.” Set on a tiny 62-square-metre block, Riley's Terrace features an incredible central courtyard with an established tall grass tree that anchors the space and allows natural light into the internal living spaces. Adele says that light was the primary focus for the small-scale project, to design the building to be clever spatially and establish a connection back to the land and the fabric of Redfern. Simple materials used in their raw form ground the project. Earth-coloured concrete offers warmth and comfort, a round skylight in the main residence filtering light onto a spiral staircase and kitchen area to capture the daily movement of the sun. Oversized awning windows improve the flow of air and shield the bench seat during rain. To contact Adele, see adelemcnab.com

New-look ERINA FAIR

Shopping at Erina Fair is now better than ever! New retailers and concept stores have moved in, EMF Fitness Centre is opening its first 24/7 high-performance gym on the Central Coast, and the space itself has been refreshed with a sophisticated new look inspired by our beautiful coastline and laid-back lifestyle. National and international brands making their Central Coast debut at Erina Fair include fashion store H&M, popular UK brand JD Sports, multi-fashionbrand Glue Store, Kidstuff, men’s fashion store Peter Jackson and edgy Aussie fashion brand Dangerfield. Iconic sports store rebel is now in a larger space and is introducing its new rebel Customer Experience (rCX). Customers can try before they buy, testing products and equipment in dedicated sports hubs such as the interactive Home of Football zone. City Beach has officially opened in its new location, offering an even wider choice of men's and women's clothing, footwear and accessories. The store also now stocks its popular kids' collection. JD Sports stocks a huge range of top global and national brands for every sport and activity you could think of, including footwear, clothing and accessories. Keep an eye out for the latest collections for men, women and kids – new products drop all the time. Glue Store is another one to watch – it’s a one-stop shop for every fashionista. It’s all happening at Erina Fair this summer!