ENGELEN | HONEYSETT PENTHOUSE Rushcutters Bay, Sydney, Australia | 1998 - 2001

Located on the top floor of The Grid apartment building in Sydney’s Rushcutters Bay this penthouse has extensive views over Rushcutters Bay Park and marina, Sydney Harbour and inner city and eastern suburbs.

Upon entering the apartment you pass an external courtyard shared with the main bedroom, providing both natural light and ventilation to the spaces on the southern side of a central service pod containing the kitchen, laundry and ensuite bathroom.  This pod is clad in dark grey polyurethane panels and is read as a large furniture element rather than part of the structural envelope which is defined by the white walls and ceiling planes.  A freestanding stainless steel kitchen island bench is surrounded by precast panels of the same terrazzo as the flooring which extends out onto the external terraces on both north and south faces of the apartment.  Multi-panel sliding doors allow up to 80% of the glazed wall to the living area to open up allowing almost total integration of internal and external spaces.

Being on the top floor allows large skylights to illuminate the internal bathrooms, with the glass paneled walls reflecting both sunlight and the shadow patterns of the aluminium sunshading louvres above the skylights.

The furnishings are colour coded throughout the apartment to further enhance its simplicity.

Sofa, dining chairs, beds – all upholstered in tan leather.  Dining, side and bedside and outdoor tables – all Tulip family by Eero Saarinen – white base with carrara marble tops.  Wall hung credenzas and shelving – all natural anodized aluminium 606 Universal shelving system.

Photographer: Ross Honeysett