Graffiti House

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu

GRAFFITI HOUSE

Durack Architects

AREA
339 m²

YEAR
2021

PHOTOGRAPHS
Katherine Lu

LOCATION
St Peters, Australia

CATEGORY
Houses, House Interiors

Text description provided by architect.

Graffiti House is the amalgamation of a brief which sought to convert an existing clothing warehouse into a home that was both a refuge punctuated with moments of intimacy while also a series of spaces with a sense of drama and connection with the outdoors.

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu
Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu

The project had a shaky start on-site and not long into the construction the original builder became insolvent. Fortunately, Durack Architects shares an office with a respected builder who was able to take over the works and bring the project back to life.

The conversion of the building into a new 3 bedroom home was a deliberate attempt to prioritize spatial quality over floor space.

The clients were a couple with no children and a modest brief looking to make the most of the large open spaces on a modest Sydney budget.

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu
Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu

The client had a love of utilitarian warehouse buildings and was adamant that the feel of the original space was not lost through the renovation.

While the original structure had a singularly dramatic presence it also was at risk of being spatially amorphous and without definition.

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu
Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu

To address this the existing volumes were maximized and defined by a u-shaped mezzanine which contains the plan and is in part suspended from the existing steel roof structure.

While creating a home with a real sense of connectedness this introspective plan has also encouraged intimate spaces wrapped around a protected and elevated courtyard.

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu
Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu

While the planning was an integral component of the adaptive re-use of the building it was important that it be complemented with appropriate structure, detailing, and materials.

A sharp, utilitarian industrial aesthetic was employed with exposed steelwork and timber joists along with industrial grating for screens and balustrades typically used as flooring in factories.

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu
Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu
Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu

This was continued into the finer detail with rumbled brass tap fittings and joinery handles.

A relationship has been created between the home and the park through the breaking down and opening up of the facade through the raised landscaped courtyard.

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu
Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu

The removal of this section of the elevation floods the interior double-height voids with a dappled light while also offering from the park a filtered glimpse into this new home.

Paying homage to the diverse and textured community of St Peters this extensive facade over-looking Simpson Park has undergone a facelift with a piece of a commissioned street art collaboration between a gallerist client and local artist Alex Lehours.

Graffiti House
© Katherine Lu


Graffiti House
Plan Ground Floor 
Graffiti House
Plan - 1st Floor 
Graffiti House
Roof Plan 
Graffiti House
Diagram 
Graffiti House
Elevations
Graffiti House
Sections