Architect Anthony Gill has the special ability to transform small, dark inner cities into lush, light-filled houses. Its spatial concept means that every inch is carefully thought out, planned and programmed, making it feel discreet and luxurious at the same time. Anthony explains: “At every opportunity we try to connect the spaces closely with the garden.” This interplay between outdoor and indoor areas reinforces the feeling of spaciousness in both areas.
Redfern House, designed in collaboration with the owner, landscape architect Sacha Coles, always kept the landscape at the heart of its design. The narrow terrace, which extends over four floors (including an underground level), has been converted from a two-bedroom house to a four-bedroom house. A new living area replaced an old shelter, and a two-story studio off the rear alley houses a studio, laundry and storage for the family's bicycles.
There is a green roof garden above the new living area and a lush courtyard between the two buildings. These two green spaces are the focus of the design. The roof garden, visible from the main house and studio, forms the anchor of this home. Sacha says it “was always considered the core of the project.” It provides a sense of calm, not only for the residents but also for their neighbors. Sacha has planted a combination of native and exotic plants, creating a garden that is not only maintenance-free but is “teeming with native bees and other insects.”
Shade-tolerant Spurflowers (Plectranthus spp.) and Happy Walkers (Hardenbergia spp.) were planted at the base of the fences to the north of the block. On the opposite side, sun-tolerant species such as pineapple sage (Salvia elegans), fountain grass (Pennisetum spp.) and bulbous rush (Ficinia nodosa) are planted. Three round skylights built into the roof, which look like calm pools of water in the context of the garden, allow light to flow into the living spaces below.
Both the living rooms and the roof garden are complemented by the inner courtyard. Because it receives limited direct sunlight, it has a rather tropical feel and is abundantly covered with palms, figs and ferns, including a giant elkhorn fern (Platycerium bifurcatum). Incorporating heavily planted gardens into the design is important to Anthony's practice. He believes that involving landscape architects and designers early in the design process is critical to successfully combining landscape design and architecture. “[By] “Devoting as much outdoor space as possible to a densely planted garden…as opposed to a lawn or hard surfaces will greatly enrich the overall experience.”
This excerpt is republished with permission from Outside In by Lauren Camilleri and Sophia Kaplanpublished by Smith Street Books.