Flimsiness is the last word one would think of when looking at this home. Although it hangs at a cliff’s edge above a leafy North Shore suburb, this home is all about strength and solidity.
From the sea below, it looks like a series of stacked geometries and dark contours. A closer look reveals a material palette of blackened precast concrete, waxed steel, and glazing, often punctuated by vertical fins — also in precast — cantilevered nooks, and a lot of comfort.
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It is “quite a complicated building, which sort of belies its simple forms,” says its architect, John Irving.
The imposing exterior leads into an interior palette of band-sawn cedar and a dark polished-concrete floor. The colours are still very much moody, yet the huge amount of natural light gives an undeniable vibrancy.
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The choice of Peter Fell Black Oxide for the floor was a logical decision. The colour complements the high level of glazing by adding just a touch of reflection — perhaps imitating the seawater views outside? It pairs well with the waxed and brushed steel on the staircase, which has just a hint of blue and enough texture to make the house more tactile and human.
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With its courtyard, enclosed balcony facing out to the sea, exposed structure, and precast coloured concrete, there’s “nothing too tricky going on here,” explains Irving — perhaps belying the home’s grace and effectiveness.
All and all, a highly successful usage of dark concrete along with other similarly dark materials for the creation of a warm and welcoming cliff-hanging abode.
Read more about this house here.