Avenue House
Within Avenue House, which is nestled in a quiet suburb on Sydney’s north shore, Hall & Hart uses time-tested materials to establish a family home.
Situated in Willoughby East, Avenue House is a reflection of its neighbourhood. Residents can find the same sense of comfort in its brick facade and consistent geometries as they can in the surrounding parkland. “The project began with my wife and I designing a family home that we could grow into,” says Nick Rawson, founding partner of Hall & Hart. “Along the way, we received the news that we would be welcoming our first child and this guided the decisions that followed. The project was never going to be a process of ticking boxes, but the news allowed us to better access the emotional side of creating a family residence.” As the homeowner, designer and builder, Rawson was best-placed to fulfil the brief, focusing on open-plan spaces, connection to the outdoors and an abundance of natural light.
“I’m a big admirer of bricks and how they have historically been used in Australian architecture,” Rawson says. “Before Avenue House, I might not have had the confidence to use them so extensively, but with Brickworks’ Chillingham White, I knew there was enough natural variation for them to become a stand-out feature.” United by their soft beige tone, the lighter and darker bricks enable a full-bodied facade with subtle depth. The thinner profile of the Bowral 50 product emphasises horizontal lines across the building, defining the exterior in terms of precision and craftmanship. Beyond aesthetics, the bricks instil a sense of permanence drawn from their longstanding history in residential design. Applied to the full height of the home, they add substantial narrative to the new build.
Inside Avenue House, social spaces are prioritised and zoned with characterful details. In the kitchen, a striking marble benchtop supports the exploration of stones in the living and dining areas. “For this home, we were conscious not to overbuild,” Rawson says. “We wanted to focus on what was enough for us as a family so we could put more of the budget into finishes and materials. These do more for enhancing emotion and connection to a home than creating additional spaces.” Each material is selected for its ability to become a canvas for natural light and introduce a unique tactility.
