Link House

by Renato D'Ettorre Architects

Built on the site of the owner’s childhood home, Link House by Renato D’Ettorre Architects is a house designed to last.

Separating the living and sleeping quarters was a key feature of the brief for this young and busy family who prioritise entertaining their family and friends. The house is effectively divided into two separate buildings, joined at ground level by a glass link which spans a large fish pond.

The public space of the living area is housed in a glass pavilion using minimal structure. The pavilion is designed in the true sense of the word: surrounded by gardens, terraces and breezeways- inviting the bay environment inside.

The two distinctive building forms and the interior courtyard is the pivotal element of the design. It assists in reducing the perception of bulk; it creates a visual focus and provides privacy from the surrounding houses. Importantly it also allows natural light to be introduced into all the main living spaces of the house.

The internal courtyard has been designed as a central exterior room, making it the hearth of the family home as well as the aesthetic focus. The courtyard is shaded by a retractable canopy, extending the use of the space into most seasons. It is a welcome protected area from the bay winds and includes built-in seating where children can play in the open air or a summer family gathering can take place with meals served straight from their bespoke pizza oven, built-in BBQ or directly from the main kitchen window or secondary gelato kitchen.

The design attempts to generate excitement, evoking emotions and seducing the family to explore and enjoy the multiple outdoor spaces on offer: from the intimate courtyards, the fish ponds with the calming sinuous movement of the gold fish, to the elevated roof terrace of the pavilion, the garden roof terrace or the olive tree terrace on the edge of the bay.

The design ascetic sensibility balances a generous level of comfort while rejecting excessive design elements and opulent finishes. The materiality and finishes are bold and without adornment. Their robustness ensures the house has durability for the enjoyment of many generations with minimum effort required in adapting the house for future needs.

There are two roof terraces, each with its own use and environment. The main terrace above the living pavilion is unadorned with only a day bed: a perfect platform for appreciating the view of the bay and the open skies.  The garden terrace at top level is a green oasis of scented citrus trees, vegetables and herbs; a little touch of the occupant’s Mediterranean heritage….. sea, sun, air and scented aromas.

The design attempts to blur the boundary between inside and out, whilst maintaining a strong sense of distinction between privacy and openness. The seamless transition between interior and exterior spaces gently connects the occupant with natural elements such as the bay, the garden, the pond and the rock out crops. From the internal rooms, enticing framed views of these elements form a close sense of communion with the natural environment and the changing seasons despite its suburban setting.

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