Architects: Luigi Rosselli
Area: 250 m²
Year: 2015
Photography: Edward Birch, Justin Alexander
Design Architect: Luigi Rosselli
Project Architects: Jane McNeill, Hugh Campbell
Interior Design: Jane McNeill
Builder: BWO Constructions Pty Ltd
Structural Consultant: Rooney & Bye Pty Ltd
Heritage Consultant: John Oultram Heritage & Design
Hydraulic Consultant: Rooney & Bye Pty Ltd
Joiner: Space Joinery
Manufacturers: Cultured Stone, JWI Louvres, Lift Shop
Landscaper: Susan Miles Landscape Architect
City: Potts Point
Country: Australia
Duplex & the City, a residential building designed by Luigi Rosselli in Potts Point, Australia, has transformed an interwar duplex into a modern four-story residence. The project, completed in 2015, preserved historical elements while integrating contemporary living spaces, featuring a basement carpark, ground floor garden apartment, and a two-story penthouse.
The project, Duplex & the City provides a humane scale housing solution in Sydney’s city fringes, comparable to New York’s brownstones. Originally, the 1920s two-story flats were transformed into a four-story block with a basement carpark and cellar, a ground-floor garden apartment, and a two-story penthouse.
Only forty percent of the existing structure was demolished, primarily the dysfunctional rooms at the back of the property, replaced by a modern four-story structure. The front of the property, featuring original Queen Anne leadlight windows, liver-toned brickwork, and timber shingles, was preserved to maintain consistency with the street’s prevailing style. Behind these refined front rooms, the apartments transition into modern open living spaces with generous terraces offering views of the city, including skyscrapers designed by Renzo Piano, Sir Norman Foster, and Ingenhoven Architects, as well as glimpses of Sydney Harbour.
The design’s duality reflects the personalities of the residents: urbane, steeped in old-world culture and family history, yet passionate about modern art, architecture, and urban living. Here, interior architecture plays a greater role than in a more spacious suburban setting.
Every millimeter has been carefully planned to condense the content of a large house into this city pad, featuring an eclectic collection of furniture and art. Project Architect Jane McNeill’s joinery design maximized storage while adding elegance to the interiors, including a dressing table in the dressing room.
The cultured owners, unwilling to part with their books, have a library and study area created by Jane McNeill. This space, complete with a comfortable armchair, is tucked beside the Jacobs Ladder stair that climbs to a glazed roof hatch, leading to a landscaped roof terrace and a spa pool with a city skyline backdrop.
Project Gallery
Project Location
Address: Potts Point, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Location is for general reference and may represent a city or country, not necessarily a precise address.
