suitable design for this site, hemmed in on
three sides by neighbours and no views to
speak of, was a courtyard house, which, in
accordance with the owner’s wishes, would
maximise the home’s living spaces. Open-plan
living/dining/kitchen areas line one wing of
the house. An entire wall of glass fully retracts
to open up the living space to the external
courtyard via an 11-metre aperture, making the
most of indoor/outdoor living. High narrow
transom windows line the internal walls,
bringing in lots of natural light but blocking
out the neighbours to provide total privacy
and direct the gaze inward to the courtyard.
Architectural Design Jan Bernau
Photography Jamie Cobel17: DESIGN PADDINGTON HOUSE
LOCATION PADDINGTON, SYDNEY
When architect Annabelle Chapman fi rst
purchased her Paddington terrace, she saw
the potential of this diamond in the rough and
moved forward with ambitious plans to restore
the residence. The brief for renovation included
“a total overhaul of all the living areas, which
resulted in the demolition and rebuilding of
the entire house, keeping only the existing
front and side walls of the terrace”, saysAnnabelle. “I wanted to create a contemporary
space using steel, recycled ironbark and
concrete as the main materials.” Nowhere
is this more evident than in the living room,
which features an exposed brick fi replace with
a ‘fl oating’ concrete hearth, off set by warm
timber fl ooring. Built-in shelves over a window
seat restore some of the original character
of the space, creating a delightful mix of
contemporary and antique style.
Architectural and Interior Design
Annabelle Chapman Architect
(achapmanarchitect.com.au)
Builder Nick Cockle, Cockle Constructions16
17
PROJECTS(^) // LIVING SPACES