Ralph update "The Bowery"

After more than a year in documentation and some site contamination issues to overcome this project in Alexandria is finally starting to get under way.

A bit of a change to the original shape driven by conservative urban planners in City of Sydney. But generally its not too bad.

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Eden prelim

Our first go at this 74 unit RFB/mixed development in Arncliffe. We are planning to use screens that actually work rather then being fixed add ons for looks only. Deep cuts into the facades for natural light and ventilation to normally internal wet areas. Solar panels and water re-usage. All white at the moment but funky colour scheme still to come.

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Balmain gem

Fighting through dense Leichhardt Council controls this refurbishment of a tiny heritage semi emerged triumphant. Determined and talented clients injected loads of charm and detail to create a lovely, partly whimsical, home.

front view before

rear view before

renovated front view

renovated rear view

indoor/outdoor family space

new entry

attic kitchen

second bed

bright white bathroom details

bridge and city glimpses from new attic kitchen/living room

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Pic for Geoff

A new commission sketch for Geoff.

I think he liked it.....

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baxter road design concept

What do you do with a skinny, unfriendly block of dirt on a gateway site in one of the busiest locations in Mascot? Here is a design concept that was part of a tender for development. The tender was unsuccessful but we still like what we did so thought I'd post it in our "might-a-beens" just for fun.

We collaborated with our great friends, Sam Rigoli (Studio R) and Mark Szczerbicki (Mark Szczerbicki Design Studio) and created a dynamic architectural form that was a mix of hotel, advertising panels, commercial and retail. Expressed egg crate hotel rooms, office spaces, a rooftop bar and viewing area, a car display with suspended ferraris and a waterfall with image displays, lit up at night. The flying form also referenced the nearby airport.

Looked good in our minds.....

concept 3D

baxter road 

satellite view

concept panel

daytime view

night time view

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balls point

A lovely short walk, even on a wet day.

At least there's plenty of parking.

Balls Point is easy to get to and is an interesting slice of Sydney history. Home to the Cammeraygal people who left rock art, petroglyphs and middens, then named after Henry Lidgbird Ball, a Royal Naval officer who commanded the Supply on the First Fleet. Henry Lawson wrote about it in protest to the building of the coal bunkering depot in 1916 and Jack Lang made it a nature reserve for the benefit of the people in 1926. 

It's a combination of lost in nature, an experience of a leisure area from a bygone era, combined with the natural connection to the working harbour, navy and city. 

And to make it a typical Sydney experience, there is a coffee shop a the end of the walk.

misty harbour view
city skyline and goat island

hmas waterhen

original coal loading jetty, needing some love

last of the many original coal scuttles

coal loading tunnel

coal chutes

lovely port jackson fig
smaller leaves than it's moreton bay cousin

shady paths
complete with a golden orb native
in it's water dropped web

lovely angophora costata
shimmering in the wet

no wonder it's also called the "smooth barked apple"

like a collossus

red like rust
which is why it's also called the "sydney red gum"

sydney rocks and sydney red gums

lovely wax flower

eriostemon australasius

original amenity block

be warned.......

happy coast banksia
banksia integrifolia

rewarding view from balls head

beautiful soft greenery

a bubbler in the middle of the bush

water for mans best friend

more soft wet greenery

young eucalypt
looks like a nicholii

picnic area with an old man banksia
banksia serrata

can see how they can look a little scary to gumnut babies

shady picnic space

here's the spot

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