LOFT HOUSE x2
Loft House x 2 replaces cars with people. A collaboration between two inner-city neighbours saw their rear-lane parking spaces replaced with conjoined one-bedroom houses, designed in reference to the industrial garages of the area, but with a clear sense of refinement in their appearance.
On a footprint of just 35 square metres each, these micro-homes serve perfectly as guest accommodation, each its own separate entry off the laneway. The party wall between them is used strategically to maximise space and service infrastructure by locating kitchen, bathroom, laundry and storage along this wall, freeing up extra space inside, on both levels, and also creating efficiencies in construction.
Natural light and cross-ventilation are harnessed with skylights, secured front windows and a sliding glass door that opens living areas onto a small walled courtyard in each home. The neutral palette of materials includes warm grey terrazzo flooring downstairs and hardwood upstairs. Exposed timber ceiling joints and black steel window frames authenticate the industrial references, while creating a durable fit out requiring minimal upkeep.
LOCATION: Pyrmont, NSW
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ACCOMMODATION: 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom each
PHOTOGRAPHY: Katherine Lu
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The most absorbing part of Brad Swartz Architects’ work is not sculptural forms or exotic decorative effects. Photographs of the projects are not destined to be clickbait, fodder for the internet-weary eye. It is not “exciting architecture.” It is the opposite: it is calming. Mood – the creation of atmosphere, taking care of the psychological effects of light or warmth or enclosure – is more often associated with hospitality projects than residential architecture. The curation of mood is important in any spatial design, but in small living spaces like Loft House x2 it is critical.
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- Houses Magazine, Issue 124
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