Currently on drawing board.
A residential flat building sited in a fabulous front row position along the Fairlight Beach Reserve is a designer's dream. This popular day use area, located on the harbour side of the Manly Beach peninsula, certainly present a few challenges, calling to balance privacy of the tenants with the impressive views towards Sydney harbour heads. This contextual scheme consists of 4 generously sized full plate residential apartments and a complex basement, tailored to the needs of the target market group.
Conceptually, the building utilises envelope of the existing building on site, to a large degree. A datum line separating the added top floor from the bottom 3 levels is respected as currently present in the close vicinity, with both of these design aspects ensuring good contextual fit.
The shape of the balcony edge has been rigorously tested in 3D to achieve view angles from inside out and to reduce the pedestrian onlook, providing maximum degree of privacy without impeding on views. The low upstand and planting on the inside of the edge - for the benefit of tenants - is finished with a low profile metal balustrade. Brick walls along north and south boundaries have features designed in to allow for privacy, apt solar access and side views.
The eclectic mix of architectural styles around gives a certain element of freedom in designing. Various building articulations have been tested during the concept design stage, with the most successful perceived outcome as a timeless, well proportioned building of a rectilinear form. Initially the roof shape was conceived as a hip roof floating above the datum line, further reflecting the context, but the top floor was eventually replaced with a floating high ceiling giving the penthouse living space an impressive proportions.
The design enjoys an impressive front row position:
Whilst I have nurtured lovingly the Fairlight crescent project since its conception, my work has been conducted as an employee and so the credit also goes to the whole team of Platform Architects, company holding all intellectual property rights of this design.
CGIs courtesy of Narrative Graphics, always a pleasure to work with.