Globally Inspired – Gunnamatta House by Jorge Hrdina Architects and Akin Atelier
Inspired by a global and nomadic touch, Gunnamatta House combines textural and unique storied pieces with an underlying and enduring quality through time-tested materiality and form. Jorge Hrdina Architects together with Akin Atelier craft a contemporary home that fuses a European approach with the familiar Australian open and connected family home.
Grounded in place, Gunnamatta House sees the coming together of an earthed richness and textural integrity that ensures it will endure over time. The approach takes heeded influence from its globally-versed owners and injects elements of their personality and travels into the home, while still creating a calm and rested place of retreat in the process. The combined softening of curved elements sits comfortably with more linear and defined angles, allowing such interesting and iconic furniture and lighting shapes to sit effortlessly as sculptures within the home. The curation of materiality, texture and finish is established externally and given further depth and layering as it moves internally. With architecture by Jorge Hrdina Architects and interior design by Akin Atelier, a cohesive vision of cool and welcoming warmth is brought to the resulting home.
Built by Toki Construction and with landscape design by Dangar Barin Smith, Gunnamatta House echoes a fresh and contemporary openness, while still being ingrained with historically rich and quality elements such as stone. The central timber stair that connects across the levels vertically stands as a central and defining element. Crafted as a considered piece to aid in movement, it also becomes a focus of its own. The unique shape and the way it engages with the custom screening device ensures the ascent and descent is an experience. Drawing on the influences of one of its owner’s Spanish heritage, the stylings combine a European formality and an artisanal approach together with the casual outdoor life of Sydney.
Nestled into coastal Cronulla, the home openly embraces its proximity to the ocean through its natural palette and a formal openness. A neutral and texturally nuanced base of polished concrete informs all other elements, with layers added of walnut timber, rattan, textiles and bronze. The use of sandstone is a reference to location and brings a subtle warmth to the living space, while also carving a convening meeting place as the hearth of the home. Softly toned and more expressive stone enlivens the wet areas, while tan leather and softly coloured carpet underfoot elevate the experience of moving through the spaces.
Through the use of subtleties, Gunnamatta House combines a stylised approach with one intended to resonate. Jorge Hrdina and Akin Atelier beautifully form a uniquely personal home that connects and expresses its owners’ own narratives.
