Duplex & the City, Sydney Apartments, Australia Residential Property, NSW Homes Images

Duplex & the City in Sydney

Residential Development in NSW design by Luigi Rosselli Pty Ltd Architects, Australia

20 Dec 2016

Duplex & the City

Design: Luigi Rosselli Pty Ltd Architects

Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Duplex & the City – Urban Living: a Dwelling with Two Apartments in Sydney

image © Justin Alexander

Equivalent to the brownstones of New York, this interwar duplex is a humane scale solution to housing in the Sydney city fringes.

images © Justin Alexander

Shoulder to shoulder with other apartment buildings, the original 1920s two-storey flats were transformed into a four storey block with a basement carpark and cellar, a ground floor garden apartment and a two-storey penthouse.

images © Justin Alexander

Just forty-percent of the existing structure was demolished, mainly the dysfunctional rooms at the back of the property, which were replaced by a modern four-storey structure.

image © Justin Alexander

The front of the property, with its original Queen Anne leadlight windows, liver toned brickwork and timber shingles, was left intact to preserve the building’s consistency with the prevailing style of the street. No one would believe that behind those refined front rooms the apartments would morph into modern open living spaces with generous terraces that allow the inhabitants to admire the views of the city, populated with skyscrapers designed by Renzo Piano, Sir Norman Foster and Ingenhoven Architects, and enjoy glimpses of Sydney Harbour beyond.

images © Justin Alexander

The duality of the design also reflects the personalities of the residents: urbane and loaded with old world culture and family history, yet passionate about modern art, architecture and urban living. Here the interior architecture plays greater role than in a more spacious suburban setting.

image © Justin Alexander

The use of every millimetre has been carefully planned to condense the content of a large house into this city pad, with an eclectic collection of furniture and art; the skilful joinery design by Project Architect, Jane McNeill aimed to provide as much storage as possible for the owners, while lending elegance to the interiors in touches such as the dressing table in the dressing room.

images © Justin Alexander

The cultured owners could not part with their books, so Jane created for them a library and study area with room for a comfortable arm chair, tucked beside the Jacobs Ladder stair that climbs to a glazed roof hatch and a landscaped roof terrace and a spa pool with a city skyline backdrop.

images © Justin Alexander

Duplex & the City in Sydney – Building Information

Location: Potts Point, Sydney NSW
Design Architect: Luigi Rosselli, Jane McNeill, Hugh Campbell
Project Architect: Jane McNeill, Hugh Campbell
Interior Design: Jane McNeill
Heritage Consultant: John Oultram Heritage & Design
Builder: BWO Constructions Pty Ltd
Structural Consultant: Rooney & Bye Pty Ltd
Hydraulic Consultant: Rooney & Bye Pty Ltd
Joiner: Space Joinery
Landscaper: Susan Miles Landscape Architect
Photography: Justin Alexander / Edward Birch

image © Justin © Edward Birch