Terrace House Mirage by Alcami Architecture

Presented as a suite of typological corrections, an unassuming terrace house toys with enhanced perspective, blurred thresholds and borrowed light, harkening local and international influences of decades past.

A modest terrace house in a central Sydney laneway bestows a tasteful reinvention of an enduring Australian vernacular. Bookmarked by neighbouring walls, the Victorian home challenges notions of tangible thresholds by extending perspectives and mirroring vistas. The outcome imparts ephemeral lightness and vibrant colour blocking, harkening local and international styles of decades past.

The ground floor plane dissolves all thresholds between inside and out, dissected only by full-height screens that effortlessly fold by the wayside.

Having occupied the house for approximately 20 years, the client wished to reimagine the compact space as an extension of his urban lifestyle. Victor Alcami of Alcami Architecture explains “the design seeks to provide the dwelling with elements it lacked previously: an outdoor garden, access to daylight and the sensation of openness beyond the narrow site.” Through an exercise in subtraction, zones became merged and multidimensional, composed for gathering and respite amid a dense city context.

“The project deploys thoughtful reinvention to extend the lifespan of existing elements,” describes Alcami. The ground floor plane dissolves all thresholds between inside and out, dissected only by full-height screens that effortlessly fold by the wayside. A large void punctuates the slender cement-clad courtyard roof, allowing all-day sun to permeate the backyard. Through optical trickery inspired by Adolf Loos, this horizontal shelter floats weightlessly atop the outdoor retreat. Nearer the road, the original two-storey structure envelops the private domain. Original apertures and ornate fenestration frame vistas of the streetscape below, while bold new utilitarian insertions serve to heighten and elongate.

More than shelter, the compact dwelling imbues an aspirational escapism – a framework for the modern occupation of an historic townhouse archetype.

In this house, orange prevails. Neatly contained, peachy corals adorn full-height cabinetry, penny round tiles, resin fixtures and decor objects. Concrete floors, burnished plaster walls and fibre cement ceilings suggest a monolithic permanence, softened by pebbled edges to delineate planes. Dining takes centrestage with a sculptural installation of backlit amber onyx and porcelain, allowing the kitchen to recede into a trio of arched voids. Brushed metals and metallic chains reference the client’s Spanish lineage against Sydney’s industrial backdrop.

Through an exercise in adaptive replanning, original spaces are dissected and reassembled to improve amenity, passive ventilation and thermal mass. Concealed induction cooking eliminates fossil fuels while enhancing space efficiency. Skylights invite the infiltration of sunlight deep into the residence for increased solar gain, and materials are raw and inherently robust, favouring natural patina in lieu of additives.

Bookmarked by neighbouring walls, the Victorian home challenges notions of tangible thresholds by extending perspectives and mirroring vistas.

Presented as a suite of typological corrections, the project responds to the evolving needs of its occupants. Reminiscent of the installations of James Turrell, the narrow site toys with enhanced perspective and borrowed light. More than shelter, the compact dwelling imbues an aspirational escapism – a framework for the modern occupation of an historic townhouse archetype.

Architecture, interior and landscape design by Alcami Architecture.