Chimney House | Atelier DAU

Firm： Atelier DAU

Type： Residential › Private House

STATUS： Built

YEAR： 2018

SIZE： 1000 sqft - 3000 sqft

BUDGET： $1M - 5M

Chimney House is as much architecture for the client as it is for the neighbourhood.

A vacant block of land, adjacent a heritage-listed terrace, offered our client an opportunity to not only extend their home and create a gallery-like interiors for their extensive and eclectic art collection – but also allowed for the insertion of a new building, to accommodate on-site parking and a self-contained apartment, concealed behind a bespoke operable bronze façade.

The infill facade was designed as a subtle transition between the differing façade compositions of the adjacent terrace rows. The sculptural form of the roof, was carefully modeled ensuring a respectful and elegant connection. At the rear, the building form retains and responds to the pigeon-paired rear elevations. The chimneyed roofscape is further enhanced with the insertion of a new modern chimney.

Taking advantage of the double-width site, the intertwined planning disrupts the traditional linear spatial sequencing of a terrace, introducing another dimension across the site, an opportunity for the insertion of an internal courtyard and the chance to capture light. A curved central stair hall replaces an impractical steep stair, bringing an unexpected scale and theatre to the interiors. The house while compact, feels surprisingly spacious, delivering the client effortless living.

It is rare to find a project like this in Sydney.

The jigsawing of two dwellings in one volume on a compact footprint, a resourceful use of space in a city that keeps on sprawling. Conceived as an artwork in some respects, or sculpture - Chimney House gives generously to the street, in an urban pocket which until recently had one of the highest crime rates in the country. It is an example of how well-considered, thoughtful design can truly change the lives of many, even at the smallest scale, even in a back street.

Builder : Grosser Constructions

Photography : Tom Ferguson

Credits:

- Tall Ideas Engineering - Director - Angelo Silvio

- Techinical Roofing & Cladding - Director - Cenk Alper

- Bartolo Brass - Director - Albert Bartolo

- Grosser Constructions - Director - Sam Grosser