Crescent House
Designed by Andrew Burges Architects, Crescent House is a richly textural home that frames striking city views.
Set in the cliffside suburb of Dover Heights, Crescent House occupies an elevated position with views back toward Sydney. This distance from the city informs an escapist design centred on thick masonry, whitewashed and rendered in a manner reminiscent of Mediterranean houses. While the existing home resembled a 1940s brick build, the renovation speaks to contemporary tastes, connecting the interiors more closely to the outdoors and surrounding vistas. The original dwelling is honoured through the solid forms of its street-facing facade, which are subtly continued within. Simple openings draw natural light into the revised floor plan, casting contrasting shadows across new surfaces.
A tall, sandstone-cut wall defines the front courtyard, establishing it as the home’s main arrival space. For residents returning from Bondi Beach, an outdoor shower offers a place to rinse off sand, while a sculptural external staircase provides direct access to the living level. Of the two floors below, one houses the garage, cellar and utility room; the other contains a studio apartment with an ensuite and kitchenette. Given the site’s steep topography, a lift is integrated to navigate the 10-metre rise between the street entry and living level. The living space is generous and open, with seating areas and kitchen flowing seamlessly to the terrace, barbecue, garden and pool. It’s punctuated by a double-height void, allowing those in the kitchen to look up to the level above. Upstairs, the primary bedroom is orientated to capture the best views the city has to offer.
To offset the rough texture of the rendered walls, the other materials in Crescent House add visual softness. The living room and upper level are united by honed concrete floors with exposed aggregate, while the kitchen and terrace share natural crazy-paved flagstones. Painted timber beams are complemented by warm joinery in solid oak and oak veneer. In the bathrooms, Venetian render and natural stone tiles are enhanced by aged brass fittings. Elsewhere, the palette works in harmony with handcrafted pieces selected and colour curated by Karen McCartney and David Harrison, founder of Design Daily.
With its rendered walls and sweeping views, Crescent House evokes the atmosphere of the Mediterranean coast more than that of Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Yet by optimising the floor plan and activating the outdoor areas, Andrew Burges Architects grounds the project in Dover Heights and the rituals of coastal Australian living.
