MM House developed from the desire to make specific connections with Sydney Harbour’s iconic landscape. A heightened sense of transparency articulates a thick plan – situating domestic life against the sublime natural and urban backdrop of the harbour and city skyline.

The orientation and configuration of the house curate a series of view points that link the domestic realm to the landscape beyond. The subtle level changes uncover new aspects of the harbour landscape and provide delineation of space within the plan.

The house is formally geometric – but is punctured by courtyards and breaks that offer unexpected vistas, and lend complexity to the section. Stripped of enclosing walls living spaces orientate outward, diffusing thresholds through a series of operable glazed doors. Double height voids in the living and courtyard spaces extend this connection, with the view presented as a ‘series of moments’ when making one’s way through the home.

The project has been designed to be robust and endure the setting of a coastal environment. With the advancements in material technologies realised in bionics, the external facade is enveloped in a self cleaning render. Allowing nature to clean and revitalise the facade whilst repelling harsh abrasive salts from the harbour.

In order to move away from a predominately flat surface resolution, characterised by contemporary applications of render, we adopted a hand crafted technique. The render is applied by spraying the substructure then hand pressing with a trowel, giving depth and irregularity to the strong geometric form. Internally the house materialises as an arrangement of refined surfaces and details, layered against the raw and elemental nature of concrete, marble and timber. This play, balances the homes reduced external palette and invites warmth and tactility to the project.

KA Project Team

 Lisa Tackenberg, Christian Campoy, Sebastian Kaintoch