Centennial Milestone – Renaissance Villa Renée by Luigi Rosselli Architects and Handelsmann + Khaw
Honouring the history of the near-century-old Renaissance Villa Renée, Luigi Rosselli Architects and Handelsmann + Khaw refine the original conceptual elements while infusing a modern sensibility. Both architect and designer adopt a subtle approach, ensuring the home’s historical essence endures and seamlessly integrates with new internal features as well as the expansive landscape.
Located in Woollahra, within the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney, Renaissance Villa Renée was initially designed and built in the 1930s. Acknowledging its impending centennial milestone called for a thoughtful integration of past and present. From the beginning, the owners wanted to assemble the ideal design team and vision for the home. After exploring various architects, they ultimately selected Luigi Rosselli Architects in collaboration with the interior design expertise of Handelsmann + Khaw.
Renowned for a thoughtful handling of alterations and additions in heritage settings, both architect and designer understood the significance of the home’s history while interpreting the brief. Instead of opting for the demolition of the existing form and inserting a modern residence on site, the team chose to expand and re-plan. It involved including a garage, a basement play area and a gym, prompting a consideration of the overall flow and connection between these spaces. Through increased openings and newly introduced glazing, the landscape plays a key role in buffering neighbouring edges and animating the interior.
Coming together in the form of a two-storey rear addition, the expanded residence optimises natural light. The main objective was to minimise building waste by steering clear of demolition, and a great effort was made to incorporate systems fostering natural ventilation and reducing a reliance on external energy sources. At the heart of the design, the staircase takes centrestage, sweeping upward to serve as a focal point and anchoring the connection between old and new. The generous openings flanking the more formal living areas guide the way, while the central hallway leads deeper into the residence. A consistent palette pf cooler whites serves as the backdrop for vibrant furniture, lighting and artwork, with the arched windows and doors paying homage to a bygone era.
At the heart of the design, the staircase takes centrestage, sweeping upward to serve as a focal point and anchoring the connection between old and new.
