RIDGEY DIDGE

Located on a tight 110sqm site within a heritage streetscape, this Surry Hills terrace addresses the challenge of bringing light into a constrained space. A family with 2 young children required a flexible home with generous spaces and outdoor play area. A ground floor skylight and northern light from the rear courtyard draw natural light into the home. The splayed concrete skylight over the kitchen maximises the aperture while carefully controlling solar access, blocking summer sun and allowing winter sun to penetrate. It is set back from the rear façade, flooding light far back into the space. This vertical volume transforms the experience of the interior, drawing the eye upward and introducing light in a sculptural way. Above, the skylight rises to a raised planter. On a site with limited opportunity for planting, the planter establishes a meaningful relationship between nature and the building creating a strong biophilic presence.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Hamish McIntosh