Orama

by Smart Design Studio

Orama by Smart Design Studio is the stunning transformation of a Victorian style villa in the Eastern Sydney suburb of Woollahra. The design incorporates elements of traditional and modern architecture for a stunning final result that was the recipient of several prestigious awards in 2015.

The transformation of Orama involved the renovation and extension of an historic house. The brief was to enhance and expand the building to create a deeply comfortable family home, and make a setting for the client’s incredible art collection. This project has two distinct halves, requiring distinct yet complementary approaches: the renovation of an historic villa, and the construction of a new concrete and glass pavilion beyond.

The new wing matches the grace and substance of the original house, but in a modern way. Where the old building is rich in detail, the new is pristine and simple. The striking double-height concrete walls, when animated by sunlight, furnish the rooms with little need of embellishment. The concrete walls and floors extend out into the garden, making the landscape seem part of the decor. The materials palette of concrete, glass, dark steel, and zinc beautifully complements the chic black-and-white scheme applied to the old house.

New joinery has been detailed and built to exacting standards. Floating stone slabs and mirrors in the bathrooms conceal abundant storage spaces, combining practicality and luxury. The completed building reinvigorates a formerly dilapidated piece of Woollahra’s historic streetscape, and sets a benchmark for quality of construction applied to the renovation of historic homes. Separated by a century and a half, the two parts of ‘Orama’ stand as beautiful expositions of the best construction standards of their day.

Images Courtesy of Smart Design Studio.

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