Concrete is gray and therefore boring? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that! It is sculptural and sustainable. In recent decades, and especially after the Bauhaus era, the material has become a very popular means of expression among contemporary architects and designers. Concrete is used both outdoors and indoors and can be wonderfully combined with glass, steel, wood and natural stone. In the interior, where a milder and homely atmosphere is desired, the two materials concrete and wood are often combined.
For the design of a two-story family home in Glebe, Sidney, Australia, the architects from Nobbs Radford Architects used concrete as a main element in the exterior and interior. The house facade is characterized by the rectangular concrete blocks and the floor-to-ceiling window openings. The entrance to the house and the common areas are on the ground floor: living room andopen kitchenwith dining area to the side. You are right at the entrance and the garden.
Even the facade reveals that minimalist style and straightforward design language also determine the interior of the house. Themonolithic concrete slabs, which make up the outer walls, appear colossal and this effect is attractively emphasized by the accent lighting. The open living concept of the house can still be clearly seen at the entrance: the entire ground floor is actually just one room where the kitchen, living room and dining area are located. Rectangular surfaces made of concrete and wood are offset and determine the interior.
Like the house facade, the furnishings are minimalist and functional. Completely harmonious with the concrete walls, simple wooden paneling covers the rest of the vertical surfaces. On the second floor there is a forecourt with a library wall and desks and the private rooms.
In each area there is a functional wooden construction that shapes the room design and has a practical use. In the living area there is the modern open wooden kitchen with a counter that functions as a single unit. The stairs and the forecourt with desks on the upper floor flow gently into one another and lead to the private rooms. The children's room is divided into two levels by a custom-made loft bed. Only one room differs from the rest of the house, which functions more as a reading room and is completely white. Attractive stucco elements on the ceiling and books on the shelves set accents.
*a project byNobbs Radford Architects
