The Annandale house sits in the sliver of space created by two three-story high giants. Restoring the original terrace facade gave the building a strong identity and allowed it to sit comfortably amongst its neighbours, but deep inside, the Annandale House was being transformed into a contemporary, urban delight. Our strategy was to bring the joy of light and the ‘outside’ into the heart of the building, playing with outdoor rooms that related to the important zones of the house; like the courtyard off the kitchen area. Spatially, the house feels like a journey, revealing itself as it draws you in.

The cool, mysterious darkness of the ground floor gives way to the brilliant sunlight which floods the upper levels and all around you the house shifts and breathes as windows and doors are thrown open or closed off, as secret gardens are discovered, and the striking colours of the façade change to reflect the passage of the sun. The stair, which winds around the interior courtyard-the heart of the home- is fundamental in linking the levels spatially. It connects the outdoor and indoor spaces through wonderful ‘happen-chance’ connections by means of deliberate openings.