Vision Magazine
Courtyards are an essential part of the design
rather than simply relying on the balcony
to bring in daylight.
JB: Privatizing space is critical for any Australian
residence. It speaks true internationally, to a point,
depending on the climate, of course. It is really
critical to use the courtyard as a private space in
what generally tends to be a multi-unit environment.
I pretty well detest balconies, when they’re used
as the primary open space because really, there’s
zero privacy. They are a real conundrum from an
architectural point of view. What kind of amenity
are you offering, if there is no way of occupants
using their space and enjoying it with any real
sense of privacy?
It’s more of a European model that brings daylight
and life to those spaces. The stackable doors and
extensive use of glass, plays a really vital role.
JB: There’s the opportunity to see out through
those beautiful Viridian stackable glass doors to
the courtyard, or conversely, bring that courtyard
into the living space. Those spaces almost become
indistinguishable, depending on the success of
the individual design. The courtyard and perimeter
spaces offer an adaptable response to climate
variation. The idea is really not one or the other,
but the pleasure of both.
The industrial vocabulary of steel and glass
is a quality you’ve brought back to life here.
You acknowledge the past especially via the
saw-tooth glass roof that celebrates much of
that existing typology.
JB: When we first visited the building I managed
to poke my head up through an old ceiling tile and
I could see the saw-tooth roof above me and it was
like Christmas. We were lucky enough to be able
to re-use that industrial expression of the
existing structure.
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