Located on Lavender Bay in Sydney, Australia, this former boatshed is now an example of how existing elements intertwine with modern additions to shape an inspiring contemporary home. Customized details were not only chosen, but forced by regulations resulting in a modern, inspiring version of the old boat house, now known as the Lavender Bay Boatshed. Seen mostly in the original corrugated roof linings and exposed timbers, the original structure lends the new residence its original maritime charm. An open floor plan was chosen to define public spaces, while the private areas charm with an eclectic choice of colors, materials and shapes.
Bedrooms were designed to occupy the ground level, so that the upper floor could “reflect the existing roof structure as an internal volume“, as Stephen Collier Architects describe it. A double-height living space on the first floor gathers views of the surroundings from under new timber linings that evoke childhood memories of being beneath an upturned boat. Respecting the maritime heritage and adding a modern touch to the surrounding landscape, architects designed this structure as a comfortable, open and honest contemporary residence. The private deck on the lower floor is accompanied by a balcony upstairs, extending the living spaces outdoors, in a successful merger with the maritime landscape.
“While the bedrooms relate to the building’s shoreline location, upstairs, an incision in the existing roof looks to the city skyline on the opposite shore, framing a view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. The whole building harnesses unique quality of light in Sydney Harbour. Light is drawn deep into the plan through the roof incisions and the atrium, and then reflected off carefully chosen materials – glass tiles in the bathrooms, polished concrete floor – and the water in the bay outside.”
