Against textural bagged brickwork and square-set ceilings, Blackbutt timber takes centrestage, adorning floors, treads and cabinetry. Every element displays exquisite resolve in an expression of the owner’s values. “Joinery was conceived as a Swiss Army knife of practicality yet is visually calm, demanding meticulous junctions and millimetre-perfect optimisation,” says Kneipp. Tiberio honed marble becomes a focal kitchen surface, paired with glossy handmade tiles in a nod to enduring craft. “A subtle kinship is drawn between Victorian and Japanese traditions: narrow, sequential forms that achieve generosity through rhythm, thresholds and material honesty.”A series of thoughtful gestures serves to echo the neighbourhood’s industrial origins. Oiled brass rails and expressed conduits harken the raw utility of a bygone area, interspersed by understated opulence. Supporting the simple joys of cooking, bathing and relaxation, a basement undercroft holds amenities and a compact kids retreat, while a small carved out roof space offers a quiet hangout with city views. Respect and understanding are evident across this home. “During a long, complex build, Haiku emerged as a way to distil both the design language and our client communications, guiding restraint in materiality, rhythm in proportion and moments of pause,” recalls Kneipp.
