A Timeless Icon – Black Vespa Home by Stafford Architecture

Located in a trendy enclave of Bellevue Hill in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, Black Vespa Home, so-named for the bespoke black Vespa the owners park proudly in front of the property, imbues a timeless confidence. Stafford Architecture sets the building up as a seminal design befitting the slick Italian icon that resides beside it.

Originally one part of a larger site that comprised a three-home development, it became apparent upon the issuing of subdivisions that this was the most challenging of the three sites. Generous expanses of iconic Sydney views such as the Opera House and Harbour Bridge were enjoyed on both of the other two sites, whereas Black Vespa’s had only glimpses of these landmarks, which were further compromised by trees. Stafford Architecture, therefore, made the decision to turn the house itself into the icon, with a series of contemplative views throughout that turn inwards from the property boundaries, as well as a strong reliance on a cross-axial planning narrative.

As one enters the property, they are greeted by a solid ground-floor brick base that is articulated on arrival with a recessed double-volume courtyard, providing privacy from the street and a sense of context to the scale once inside the home.

The most prominent of these axes is formed by the entrance courtyard and foyer, before terminating at the pool courtyard. As one enters the property, they are greeted by a solid ground-floor brick base that is articulated on arrival with a recessed double-volume courtyard, providing privacy from the street and a sense of context to the scale once inside the home. Scale and dimension are harmonised by the warm palette beyond the double-volume space, which embraces natural, honest materials that allow one’s eye to glide between different areas.

Additionally, Black Vespa’s long intersecting axis provides linear circulation across all three levels, bounded by vertical aspect elements at one end and an open-ended vista at the other, which seeks to maximise the views offered by the site. Similarly, either side of the long axis sees the property respond to its position; running in the same direction as the adjacent arterial road, the house’s accommodation either turns its back on the busy street or opens out to embrace the view, depending on positioning.

Scale and dimension are harmonised by the warm palette beyond the double-volume space, which embraces natural, honest materials that allow one’s eye to glide between different areas.

Rising to the first floor, the façade sits behind a continuous screen, achieving privacy to light wells for residents and a hint of mystery to locals passing by, as views into the home are effectively obscured. This ingenuity with materials is a signature of Black Vespa, as the timber screens and solid brick base of the house make way for private patios with large glass openings, seamlessly changing the atmosphere of the home and creating those moments of aforementioned splendour within the confines of the building’s structure.

The culmination of this introspection is without doubt the internal courtyard, which is defined by the private plunge pool. Providing tranquil sightlines from three levels, the pool also succeeds in giving the house a natural ventilation source and stand-out views are maximised with a mirrored wall on the site boundary facing the pool, further emphasising the blue allure against timber decking nearby. Two seats in the pool, each bordering adjacent rooms, round out this well-conceived focal point with aplomb.

The predominant palette consists of natural stone combined with the timber to generate a warmth across the home and allow for layering with furniture and textiles.

Black Vespa’s final form was not only influenced by the parameters of the site but also by the treescape encapsulating it. Natural beauty has been an obvious reference point here, and there is a feminine allure to the soft, clean interiors, characterised by high ceilings and generous timber boards framing floors as well as the ceilings of the main living level. The predominant palette consists of natural stone combined with the timber to generate a warmth across the home and allow for layering with furniture and textiles.

Black Vespa’s joinery also emphasises its modesty, as a recessed kitchen sits within the open plan setting, combining natural finishes with marble fronted cupboard doors, oak veneer and bronze detailing that is continued throughout, including in the staircase balustrades. Dappled light regularly meets the materials throughout the interiors, signifying the full circle of this harmonious palette with an understated ease.

Dappled light regularly meets the materials throughout the interiors, signifying the full circle of this harmonious palette with an understated ease.

In spite of some initial challenges presented by the site, Black Vespa Home stands as a fine exemplar in harbourside living. The house, forced to eschew views that many of its contemporaries share, instead embraces a kind of self-reflection through a site response that makes it unique to the area and, in the process, a visual icon in its own right.