The Doorzien House is a house for the next hundred years. It is about renewal and reconstruction, about memories past and memories to be made. Presented with a tired, federation-era semi-detached cottage with spectacular views to Sydney Harbour, the brief was simple – in crossing the entry door threshold, the past was to be left behind, with a seamless transition to the new.
Located in a tightly constrained heritage conservation area, the original ‘skin’ of the building was retained, with limited opportunity to extend the dwelling. Embracing the steep, narrow site, the floorplan was dismantled, a new two-storey interior volume and rear addition lodged into the topography. Focusing on the interplay of view and viewing, an array of glass elements were deployed bringing light and spatial rendering to the design.
Transitioning the house from its traditional setting is the zinc-clad rear addition, a contemporary formal move drawing on the nearby shipbuilding and harbourside activities.
