Architect | Brooke Aitken Design |
Location | Sydney, Australia |
Photographs | Katherine Lu |
Nestled within the busy inner-city of Sydney famous for its restaurant life, this warehouse converted apartment is infused with elemental Japanese design to create a minimalist, sustainable oasis that invites relaxation for a retired couple.
Having been inspired by their travels to Japan, the couple behind this apartment wished to minimize possession and enjoy retirement in a minimalist calm oasis whilst being connected to the buzz of society. The goal was to open this dark 2-bedroom, ground floor inner-city apartment to light and provide a minimalist Japanese aesthetic with easy maintenance and maximum storage.
Located at the back of a ground level 4-floor old warehouse, all windows in the unit overlook two small internal lightwell courtyards that provide no aspect to the street, nor any views. At times, no direct sunlight penetrates the apartment. It did however have expansive ceiling heights which had been lost within a warren of small rooms on different floor levels. Brooke and her team saw this potential and deleted a bedroom to create a large living area grounded by a polished concrete floor. Curved timber screening is used to emphasize the great ceiling height and acts as a giant dimmable lantern providing gentle light through the day. A change in floor height indicates the change to the ‘night’ level of the dwelling, timber-floored for bare feet use of a study, bedroom, and bathroom. Throughout, materials were chosen for their minimalist and natural properties.
The project is a re-imagining of what retirement living can be. Details and materials were not only considered for their aesthetic effect and the corresponding mental health effect to the occupants, but also for their longevity, durability, and practical use. Kitchen size reduced to increase well ordered storage space, whilst concurrently the previous family home possessions were filtered to a minimum. The focus became the aesthetic experience of a day passing in an emptier living space and each element within was chosen to increase enjoyment, ease of use and comfort.
The project was shortlisted for the DIA awards in 2018 and Houses Awards (Australia) in 2018.