Davis House

Darlinghurst, NSW
1997

The scheme illustrated here is for alterations to an existing three storey Victorian terrace house in Darlinghurst. The site falls ten metres from the street to the rear lane and has a panoramic view from the rear stretching from St Vincent’s Hospital in the west to Bondi Junction in the east. An existing separate entry from the street to the lower ground floor allows for a self-contained one bedroom apartment at the lower level.

The existing house highlights some of the shortcomings of the Victorian terrace which all the major rooms address the street and the ancillary functions are relegated to the rear wing with a single 1200 x 800 window taking advantage of the dramatic view.

The primary intention was to reorient the house to the rear of the site and to dispense with cellular rooms in favour of a large open plan living space extending out onto a roof terrace to the rear and the existing verandah above the street. The dilapidated rear wing was demolished and a new exposed steel framed wing built, which incorporates an aluminium clad spiral stair allowing access to the rear garden, and garage from the roof terrace without disturbing the occupants in the apartment below.

The main spaces double as a gallery for the owner’s collection of Asian artefacts and modern artwork and complete the transformation from Victorian terrace house to urbane, modern apartment.

Photographer: Ross Honeysett