platform house

On a triangular block in Sydney’s east, a new living platform brings light, air and space to a highly constrained site. In an urban response to the site’s limitations, living areas are elevated up to the tree canopy - offering lush panoramas, abundant light and a sense of horizon. Responding to a lack of open space, two distinct outdoor relationships were established – at ground level, the existing volume was pared back to create a cool, secluded garden related to the bedrooms; at first floor, living spaces open out to a bright, north-facing deck. This new living platform creates a datum – a continuous horizon line, along which openings are carefully located in response to trees, greenery and views.

The depth of the south façade provides a dialogue with the street, with deep reveals allowing casual inhabitation of window seats along this elevation. Key to this experience is the western outlook: a lofty fig tree set against the city beyond. Providing seclusion from the street and protection from the western sun, a series of sliding perforated metal screens set against the tree canopy filter the light and views, with a vertical gradient of perforations offering privacy to neighbours below and transparency to the sky above. Playing with contrast, materials define notions of inner and outer: dark charred timber cladding is cut away from the volume to reveal pale timber and clean white planes within.