The owners wanted warmth and texture as counterpoints to the extensive concrete and glass shell. Entry to the house, is on the middle of the three levels, with a courtyard on one side and harbour views on the other, and a vast open plan in between. The interior design had to ensure a seamless link between the two outdoor spaces flanking the house, yet it also had to be distinctive in its own right. The home’s generous proportions presented unique challenges – sprawling over three levels, it had to serve as a family home, so it also needed more human, intimate scale within. That has been achieved with the introduction of a series of living zones within the open plan, each with its own distinct personality. While a key part of the brief was for a warm, relaxed and elegant family home, it also to equip itself for frequent entertaining, either informal poolside by day or more glamorous cocktails by night. And the house had to provide generous gallery space for the owners’ art collection.

The home displays a non-conventional approach in its interiors, which belie the concrete and glass construction, while also being a fresh take on Sydney harbourside living. Utilising a truly international style, the interiors change from formal to relaxed according to the purpose they are being put and the mood of the moment. Paradoxically, perhaps, this home much defined by its location, yet in its sophistication and design ethos, it could be anywhere in the world.