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  • Four Pillars Laboratory in Sydney is a “sanctuary” for gin enthusiasts

    Juniper berry-blue furniture sits against blackened walls inside this cosy bar, laboratory and store that design studio YSG has created in Sydney for gin brand Four Pillars. Four Pillars Laboratory occupies a two-storey corner building in Sydney’s buzzing Surry Hills neighbourhood. It was originally built in 1939 as premises for a tea company, but has
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  • Arched precast concrete panels form North Perth House by Nic Brunsdon

    Precast concrete panels punctuated with swooping arches make up this family home in Perth, Australia, designed by architect Nic Brunsdon.Nic Brunsdon squeezed the two-storey house onto a tight plot of land for a family keen to live closer to the city of Perth and all its amenities – even though it meant downsizing from their former property.

    Working with a restricted budget, the architect and his eponymous studio decided to use precast concrete panels as the main building material.

    “By using this commercial construction system as the main conceptual organising principle, the project was able to gain significant budget and time savings, while maintaining legible design integrity and innovation in housing type,” the studio said.

    North Perth House comprises eight precast concrete panels that are arranged in a grid-like formation. The ground floor has a sequence of four panels that run horizontally from east to west.
    “On the ground floor these panels demarcate layers of privacy from the street front back towards the rear of the property, each signifying a threshold leading deeper into the private life of the house,” explained the studio.

    On the first floor are another four panels that have been turned 90 degrees to run perpendicularly from north to south.
    These arches slot neatly into notches that have been made in the concrete panels on the ground floor.

    The concrete panels are punctuated with arches – a shape that one of the clients was particularly fond of as it brought back childhood memories of the arched doorways that appeared in their grandmother’s home.
    Narrow arching doorways connect different living spaces throughout North Perth House. On the ground floor, these arches have been made to sit in line with each other so that there are clear sightlines from the front to the rear of the home.

    The larger arches form windows or striking decor features. For example, one has been filled with bookshelves, while another has been inlaid with warm-hued timber to create a dramatic headboard in the master bedroom.
    Timber is one of the three materials that Nic Brunsdon opted to apply throughout the interior – it has also been used for the cabinetry in the kitchen, staircase balustrades and sideboards.

    Concrete has then been left exposed across the walls and floor, while insulated polycarbonate sheeting has been fitted in some of the windows to diffuse the harsh sunlight.

    Arches puncture floors and walls of Glebe House by Chenchow Little Architects

    Pops of colour in North Perth House are provided by a selection of contemporary artworks.
    “The simplicity of the design belies the complexity of the resulting spaces that are created; spaces that are compressed and dark, high and washed, raw and unfinished, and rich and intimate,” added the studio.

    Nic Brunsdon is based in Perth’s South Freemantle suburb. The architect is longlisted in the hospitality building category of this year’s Dezeen Awards for his project The Tiing – a boutique hotel in Bali that features rugged concrete walls that were cast against bamboo.
    Its 14 guest rooms are each shaped like funnels, directing views towards the jungle on one side and the ocean on the other.
    Photography is by Ben Hosking.

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  • Luigi Rosselli Architects creates wave-like facade for Bondi Bombora house in Sydney

    Turquoise and sea-green tiles wash over the undulating facade of this family home in Sydney, designed by local practice Luigi Rosselli Architects.The Bondi Bombora house is occupied by three generations of a family and their gang of dogs, cats and chickens.

    The swelling ocean waters of nearby Bondi beach informed the design of the three-storey home, which Luigi Rosselli Architects has named after bombora – an indigenous Australian term used to describe a wave which forms over submerged fragments of reef or rock offshore.

    “It’s an homage to that surfers’ haven; to the swell and the waves that have formed a rich intertidal culture for millennia,” said the practice.

    Elements of the home have been made to emulate the shape of a wave, like its undulating front elevation.
    Slim turquoise and sea green-coloured tiles arranged in a herringbone pattern cover the bottom third of the elevation, which the practice hopes will “shimmer in the daylight like the surface of the ocean”.

    Ripple-edged frames made from black steel also surround the windows and doorways.
    Black steel has additionally been used to clad the top third of the house, which the practice likens to an “armoured battleship”.

    Inside Bondi Bombora are a series of airy, light-filled living spaces with high ceilings, which Luigi Rosselli Architects created with the help of interiors studio Alwill.
    The practice had been inspired by the lofty proportions of piano nobiles, or “noble floors” – the first storey of grand Italian palazzos where main reception rooms and bedrooms would be placed.

    One side of the home accommodates an open-plan kitchen with bright white cabinetry. Inhabitants can eat at the marble-topped breakfast island, or around the more formal wooden dining table.
    Where possible, Alwill has incorporated practical features for family living. For example, a sideboard that runs along the rear of the room includes a fold-out desk where the kids can do their homework.

    Luigi Rosselli Architects adds twisting stair to Sydney’s Peppertree Villa

    Expansive glazed panels can be slid back to access the garden, where landscaper Michael Bates has planted an abundance of fruit trees and pollen-friendly plants for the bees the inhabitants keep.

    A double-height void accommodates a small study area and a stairwell that leads up to the Bondi Bombora’s sleeping quarters.
    Cocoon-like pendant lamps made from black and white mesh cascade down the centre.

    The entire back wall of the stairwell has been in-built with a towering bookshelf. More books can be stored in the stepped shelving unit that’s been built to sit alongside the steps.
    A deep-set window on the first-floor landing has also been transformed into a cosy reading nook.

    Luigi Rosselli Architects has been established since 1984 and works out of offices in Sydney’s Surry Hills suburb.
    The practice has designed a number of dwellings around the Australian city. Among them is Peppertree Villa, a 1920s home that features a dramatic spiral staircase and contemporary glass conservatory.
    Photography is by Prue Ruscoe.
    Project credits:
    Architects: Luigi RosselliProject architects: Sean Johnson, Diana YangInterior designers: Alwill InteriorsBuilder: Building With OptionsJoiner: BWO Fitout and InteriorsStructural consultant: Geoff Ninnes Fong and PartnersLandscaper: Bates LandscapeWindows: Evolution Window SystemsMetal roofing/cladding: Traditional Metal Roofing

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  • YSG carries out tactile overhaul of Budge Over Dover house in Sydney

    Terracotta brick, aged brass, and aubergine-hued plaster are just some of the materials that interior design studio YSG has included in its revamp of this house in Sydney.The house – nicknamed Budge Over Dover – is located in Dover Heights, a coastal suburb that lies to the east of Sydney.
    Despite the home’s spacious 825-square-metre floor plan, it previously played host to a rabbit-warren of light-starved rooms and poky corridors.

    Local studio YSG was brought on board to create a more “fluid” sense of space across the ground floor and improve the home’s visual connection to its sizeable garden.

    YSG began by knocking down a majority of existing partition walls to form a sweeping living and dining space.

    Surfaces throughout have been loosely rendered with aubergine or toffee-hued Marmorino plaster, forming a discrete backdrop to the studio’s “interplay of polished and raw finishes”.
    “Settings are embellished by tonal and tactile variations that delineate the neutral zones via swathes of colour and surface patinas,” explained the studio.

    At its rear lies a kitchen that boasts black-stained timber cabinetry. It’s anchored by a chunky prep counter, the base of which is crafted from aged brass while its countertop is made from veiny Black Panther marble.
    In front of the countertop is a row of stools upholstered in fluffy cream wool, and an oversized white lantern dangles overhead.
    “Wall sconces and lamps were selected to consciously pool light in areas and brushed velvet tonal depths as opposed to installing integrated ceiling lights,” added the studio.

    The kitchen directly faces onto a lounge area that has a large fawn-coloured sectional sofa dressed with mismatch patterned cushions.
    A breakfast nook has also been created in the corner, with a seating banquette made bespoke to curve in line with the wall.
    Inhabitants can choose to dine here or at the more formal dining table that’s surrounded by tubular-framed chairs with tan leather seats.

    This entire living space has been elevated to sit on an expansive platform covered with handmade terracotta tiles, bringing it in line with the garden patio.
    YSG purposefully used the same tiles to clad the floor of the patio in attempt to “draw the outside in”.

    The project also saw the studio cut back the size of the pool, which used to butt up against the back door, making space for more outdoor furnishings.

    Amber Road uses dark tones to furnish 1906 apartment in Sydney

    Beyond the brick-lined portion of the ground floor is an additional seating area that features the home’s original travertine flooring. Here, a beige sofa perches on a forest-green velvet rug, along with an angular maroon armchair.
    A complementary green-tone painting has also been mounted on the breast of the huge fireplace, which curves out from the wall.

    Upstairs, the studio has continued the rich palette but with “more saturated intensity”.
    The master bedroom has been painted a dark, mossy green shade to draw attention to the impressive ocean views seen from the windows.

    Another bedroom has dusky pink surfaces, brass light fixtures and an opulent natural-stone vanity table.
    Lighter tones are offered in one of the kid’s bedrooms, which has sky-blue walls and whimsical cloud-shaped lamps hanging from the ceiling.

    YSG was established at the beginning of 2020. Prior to this the studio’s founder, Yasmine Saleh Ghoniem, led interior design studio Amber Road alongside her sister, landscape architect Katy Svalbe.
    Previous projects by Amber Road – which has now closed for business – include Polychrome House, a colourful 1960s-era property, and the dark-hued 1906 Apartment – which is owned by the same family who reside in Budge Over Dover.
    Photography is by Prue Ruscoe.

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  • Longhouse by Partners Hill spans 110 metres across Australian bushland

    Architecture practice Partners Hill has designed this lengthy shed-style home in the Australian town of Daylesford, Victoria to incorporate living, cooking and agricultural facilities.Described by Partners Hill as “a study in inclusion”, Longhouse contains a farm, restaurant-cum-cookery school, guest rooms and living quarters for its owners, Ronnen Goren and Trace Streeter.
    The practice worked alongside Goren and Streeter over a period of 10 years to design the multifunctional property.

    “The Longhouse recalls a Palladian tradition of including living, working, storing, making in a single suite rather than referring to the Australian habit of casual dispersal,” said the practice’s founding partner, Timothy Hill.

    “It emphasises how much – or how little – you need for a few people to survive and thrive. A handful of animals, enough water and year-round crops.”

    Nestled amongst a 20-acre plot of land just outside the town of Daylesford, the 110-metre-long building overlooks rolling plains of bushland.
    Goren and Streeter were charmed by the site’s natural vistas but, after several visits, came to realise that the area was subject to extreme weather conditions including strong winds, erratic downpours of rain and snow during the colder months.
    A variety of animals such as kangaroos, wallabies and foxes could also be found roaming the site.

    This “beautiful but hostile” environment is what encouraged Partners Hill to design Longhouse as a huge shed-like structure which would be “big enough and protected enough for the landscape to flourish inside”.
    Translucent panels of glass-reinforced polyester wrap around the exterior of Longhouse, which is punctuated by a series of windows that offer views of the landscape.

    “Smart gel-coated cladding provides different levels of UV and infrared resistance,” explained the practice.
    “Panels with different finishes have also been deployed to optimise solar penetration and shading depending on the orientation of each facade and roof plane.”

    An algorithm was used to design the home’s 1,050-square-metre roof, which has been specifically sized to harvest an optimum amount of rainwater.
    Any water collected is stored in a series of tanks around the site – some of which are concealed by grassy banks – and can be used to service different rooms. It can also be used in the event of a bushfire.

    The main entrance to Longhouse is at the western end of the building, which plays host to a sizeable garage for storing farm machinery and an enclosure for the cows, pigs and fowl.
    A short walkway leads through to the kitchen where cookery workshops are held and meals are rustled up for guests dining at Longhouse. Designed to appear as a “surprisingly lush haven”, the space is bordered by leafy trees and plant beds overspilling with foliage.
    Vine plants also wind down from the ceiling.

    Australian cypress pine has been used to craft a majority of fixtures and furnishings, selected by the practice for its resistance to rot.
    The same timber has been combined with red bricks to form a couple of gabled structures that accommodate cosy eating areas.
    Some elements, like the kitchen hearth, are built from glazed clay tiles.

    Partners Hill hides Aesop pop-up among the undergrowth at Tasmanian music festival

    A set of stairs leads up to the guest rooms on the first floor, referred to as The Stableman’s Quarters. One of them features warm orange walls and is centred by an oversized daybed piled high with plump cushions.

    Goren and Streeter’s private living quarters, nicknamed The Lodge, are also located on Longhouse’s first floor. Surfaces throughout have been painted a pale shade of blue.
    “Even in the depths of cold, grey winters – there is an uplifting sense of blue skies and long sunsets every day,” added the practice.
    In a nod to the owners’ passion for 19th and 20th-century interiors, the practice has also included a handful of decor elements that “recall the manors of a bygone era” such as clawfoot bathtubs and ornate ceiling roses.

    Partners Hill is led by Timothy Hill, Simon Swain and Domenic Mesiti. Previous projects by the practice include a wooden pavilion for skincare brand Aesop – the structure was specially created for a Tasmanian music festival and was shrouded by shrubbery.
    Photography is by Rory Gardiner.
    Project credits:
    Architecture, interior design and landscaping: Partners HillCladding fabricator: Ampelite

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  • Burnt-red tiles and hessian feature inside Dough Pizza restaurant in Perth

    Interior design firm Ohlo Studio used materials that evoke the “rustic sophistication” of Italy to create the interiors of Dough Pizza restaurant in Perth.Dough Pizza takes over a unit of Westfield Whitford City shopping centre which lies just north of central Perth.

    Locally based Ohlo Studio was tasked with designing the interiors and set out to create an aesthetic that, like the restaurant’s name, is “timeless and no-fuss”.

    The studio also wanted the space to texturally reflect Italy and the country’s “rustic sophistication”.
    “It needed to evoke a distinct atmosphere and personality reinforcing the cultural heritage behind the food,” explained the studio.

    On one side of the restaurant, burnt-red tiles have been used to line the lower half of the wall.
    Just in front lies a seating banquette upholstered in taupe-coloured fabric, accompanied by wooden tables and white wicker dining chairs. Slim disc-like pendant lights have been suspended from the ceiling directly overhead.
    The same red tiles clad the central bar counter. It’s surrounded by wooden fold-out high chairs, where customers can sit and eat within view of the open kitchen or grab a quick drink.

    A wall on the opposite side of the restaurant has been completely lined in hessian, which extends down to cover a chunky plinth that runs in front.
    The plinth serves as a base for a series of tobacco-hued cushioned seats that can be easily pushed together or apart to suit different-sized groups of diners.

    Homely decor elements such as ceramic vases, potted plants and tiny lamps have been dotted throughout to evoke the same feel as a “neighbourhood Italian espresso bar”.
    Large photographic prints that capture scenes from sun-drenched Italian beaches have also been mounted on the walls.

    Pink marble and patchy concrete emulate ancient Rome in Melbourne’s Pentolina pasta bar

    In a bid to contrast the commercial setting of the shopping centre, the studio has applied the same selection of warm materials used inside the restaurant to its exterior.
    “The tiled bar puncturing the facade also activates the boundary and creates a playful entry,” added the studio.

    Ohlo Studio was founded by interior architect Jen Lowe and is based in Perth’s South Fremantle suburb.
    The studio’s Dough Pizza project is one of several trendy Italian eateries across Australia. Others include Glorietta by Alexander & Co, which features wooden furnishings and a caged rattan ceiling.
    There’s also Pentolina by Biasol, which has worn concrete walls and pink-marble fixtures to emulate the materiality of Ancient Rome.

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  • Biasol channels 1980s nostalgia inside Melbourne restaurant Billie Buoy

    Design studio Biasol clashed hot pink and midnight blue to form the bold interiors of this 1980s-inspired restaurant in Melbourne, Australia.Billie Buoy occupies a corner plot in Melbourne’s Essendon neighbourhood and has been designed by local studio Biasol as a “1980s character who was radical, hip and a little offbeat”.
    To capture the mood of the 1980s, the studio closely studied the era and its quirky pop culture.

    “We looked back to the days before the internet and cell phones – we dusted off our Atari and Walkman, put a John Hughes movie in the VHS, and jammed to New Order and Madonna,” said the studio.

    “The interiors and branding were developed in unison to create high impact and strengthen Billie Buoy’s appeal.”

    When it came to creating a colour palette for the 60-square-metre restaurant, the studio selected two shades that it felt were synonymous with the 1980s – blue and hot pink.
    Where possible, different textures and materials have been introduced to foster a greater sense of “depth, richness and variation”.

    Midnight-blue paint covers the walls and ceiling. The same hue of felt has been used to upholster the seating banquette that curves around the wall of the entryway and the accompanying stools.
    A mixture of navy and speckled black bricks have then been laid across the floor, while white-terrazzo dining tables inlaid with blue flecks of aggregate have been dotted throughout the dining rooms.
    A glossy, powder-blue service counter that features a bold scallop pattern has also been erected in front of the drinks bar.

    Vibrant hot-pink details come in the form of the coffee grinders and a neon text sign on the wall. A series of vaulted steel storage shelves also appear throughout the restaurant, two behind the bar and three in the entrance dining area which are used to openly display crockery.
    Doorways that lead through to the customer bathrooms and back-of-house facilities for staff are also arched in form.

    Biasol uses green tones for update of Melbourne’s Main Street cafe

    The project also saw Biasol apply midnight-blue paint across the restaurant’s exterior.
    One street-facing wall is emblazoned with the words “wake me up when I’m famous”, which the studio hopes will become a prime spot to snap photos for Instagram.

    Biasol was founded in 2012 by Jean-Pierre Biasol and works out of offices in Melbourne’s Cremorne suburb.
    Billie Buoy is one of several eateries that the studio has designed around the city of Melbourne. Others include Main Street cafe, which is decked out with monochrome tiles and deep-green furnishings, and Pentolina, a pasta bar with worn concrete walls which are meant to emulate the streets of Ancient Rome.
    Photography is by Timothy Kaye.

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  • Wood and white brick feature in Perth extension by David Barr Architects

    David Barr Architects has added a bright and roomy two-floor extension to a cottage near Perth, Australia so that its owners can have their grown-up children come to stay. The cottage is situated in the port city of Fremantle along Marine Terrace road, from where the project takes its name. Marine belongs to a couple
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