Houses Australia – August 2019

HOUSES 129 INPROFILE 99

Anearlierprojectforempty-nesters,PointPiper
Apartment(2011),transformeda 1940sthree-bedroom
apartmentbyextractingalmostallofitsinternalwalls.
Non-structuralwallswereremovedtoconvertthewaterfront
homeintoanopen,flexibledwelling,witha generousmain
bedroomanda guestroomprimarilyfortheowners’visiting
grandkids.Fromeverycorner,harbourviewsslicethrough
theplan,whichisanchoredbytheonlystructuralinternal
wall,containinga fireplaceandnowrecladinlimestone.
Will’sdistinctapproachtogeometryiseven
morepronouncedatWoollahraCourtyardHouse(2018),
a newdwellingina heritageareawithcloseneighbours.
Parallelograms,invoidandvolume,infusetheplanwith
subtledynamism.Practically,theskewedbedroomspace
ontheupperlevelpullsa wallawayfroma closeneighbour
inordertoprovidea bitmorebreathingspace.Onthe
lowerlevels,angularvoidswithclerestoriesaddcomplexity,
lightanda seductivegeometrytotheinteriorwithout
overwhelmingit.
IntheworkofCO-AP,materialsareoftenleft
raworunadorned.Zincroofing,corrugatedmetal,fibre
cementsheeting,plywoodpanels,concrete,blackened
orpaintedsteel– eachelementisclearlyexpressedwith
goodmodernistdetailing.Thereisalsoa senseofluxury,
perhapsmostapparentinthestudio’ssignificantrenovation
toa historicpropertyinBondi,MoretonManor(2018,see
Houses125).Here,a monumentalbathiscarvedfroma
singleblockofmarbleandthekitchenencompassesthe
spaceonceoccupiedbyfourlargeroomsatthecoreofthe
original 1850s cottage. Extensions in concrete and steel

1 Garage

2 Storage

3 Laundry

4 Cellar

5 Liftmotor

6 Entry

7 Living

8 Dining

9 Kitchen

10 Courtyard

11 Bedroom

12 Study

13 Void

Woollahra Courtyard House basement 1 : 400

Woollahra Courtyard House first floor 1 : 400

0 5 m

1

2

2 2

3

5

4

7 6

8

9

10

11 11

11

11

12

13 13

08

Woollahra Courtyard House ground floor 1 : 400