Zephyr House | Studio Prineas | 2025 | 澳大利亚
Inspired by an established coastal outcrop, Zephyr House by Studio Prineas is a multigenerational place of rich tactility, deploying honest materials to focus the senses.Shaped by a longtime connection to a cherished beachside locale, Zephyr House by Studio Prineas epitomises the spirit of the desired ‘forever home’. Hunkered into the banks of Sydney’s Northern Beaches, the dwelling is a layered architectural design responsive to its context and mindful of its neighbours – a place of quiet strength and sensitivity, enveloped in the warm embrace of an intergenerational family.
With a vision to reinvent the clients’ existing dwelling, the brief called for a modest retreat of personal connection – a place in tune with a laid-back lifestyle, flanked by far-reaching vistas. “While we had hoped a renovation would be possible, the original structure was found to be dilapidated beyond repair. As such, the decision was made to begin with a blank canvas,” says architect and principal Eva-Marie Prineas. Reconceptualising this storied suburban plot, a vision emerged for a stepped abode in a balanced approach to private space and entrenched connection. “In place of the old, our clients envisioned a robust long-term home for their young family of four – one that could also comfortably accommodate ageing parents, offering them a sense of independence.”Guided by the constraints of its established environment, Zephyr House seeks to shift one’s perspective as you move throughout the building. “Nestled into the site’s natural slope, the split-level form minimises its presence from the street, allowing the home to sit quietly within the coastal setting,” says Prineas. Recalling the works of revered Danish architect Jørn Utzon, the abode bestows a feeling of permanence akin to a treasured relic of a bygone era, progressively softened by the earthen patina that adorns each space. Reminiscent of his 1970s Can Lis project, Zephyr House pivots in search of daylight and framed vignettes beneath the shaded alcoves of weighty masses that serve to instil focus. Terraced loggias enhance this agenda through deeply monastic surrounds – poetically ruinous yet markedly refined.
Comprising a staggered array of floor plates, Zephyr House responds to a challenging position – a descending narrow block, battered by winds and cloaked in rocky deposits. A split-face stone driveway leads to an arrivals sequence of a coastal sensibility through a functionalist material assemblage. Beyond the point of entry, the residence reveals an open communal sphere wrapped around sheltered garden pockets of lush vegetation. Ascending to the upper levels, self-contained lodgings are thoughtfully placed near the children’s domain, enhanced by angular bay windows that neatly frame the seaward expanse. “All floors connect via a central staircase and lift, opening to dedicated landing vestibules, creating a comfortable home accessible for everyone who lives here,” says Prineas. An abstraction of the circulation experience is depicted in a graphic mural artfully hand-painted by the architect herself – a small yet striking gesture that enlivens the heart of the living zone.
Zephyr House exudes a calm demeanour through a considered approach to protection, harkening a cavernous quality that engages in a dialogue between inside and out, bolstered by skyward apertures that challenge ideas of enclosure. “A battened aluminium screen unifies the architectural form, shading the interiors and veiling windows in a refined rhythm,” says Prineas of the ethereal qualities that permeate the home. Concrete, brick and timber surfaces are bathed in dappled light. Subtraction stands to heighten the senses across this pared-back palette, interspersed by unfussy gestures of balance and composure. “With little else to read from the front facade, a circular window offers a playful ‘wink’ to the neighbourhood,” says Prineas of these generous moments of connection.
Rising from a stone-clad floor, a muted base of warm greys, milky creams and dusty mauves sit against off-form walls and tactile timber veneers as friendly counterparts to the volumes that define Zephyr House. “The natural variations of the porphyry drove us to curate a harmonious palette, expressed in the joinery, soft furnishings and drapery for a gentle tonal expression,” notes Prineas. Polished travertine marks a prominent anchor and is echoed in the peachy hues of limed brick and masonry. Timber cabinetry provides a intimate backdrops across the private realm in the utmost display of considered utility. “Against the surrounds of ocean vistas and windswept greenery, the house eschews applied interior finishes in favour of the inherent beauty of the primary construction.”
The dwelling imparts a severed arrangement that rises from a rocky base to hug the steep topography, visually reducing “Against the surrounds of ocean vistas and windswept greenery, the house eschews applied interior finishes in favour of the inherent beauty of the primary construction.” the bulk of the building. Restorative outdoor insertions further dissolve the building’s edges, as sheltered enclaves protect from buffeting ocean breezes. “While the full extent of the site’s sandstone outcrop only became apparent during excavation, we embraced its presence with confidence, establishing an even stronger connection between the house and its environment,” says Prineas. Extending beyond the boundary, the facade remains open to passers-by, allowing verdant planting to stretch into the coastal streetscape.
Inspired by the soul of the former residence, Zephyr House is a multifaceted place of deep connection to its location and between its custodians. It offers a focused design of a sensory disposition, deploying dark and light to subdue and reveal. The architecture conveys honest tactility of a familiar resolve, pulled back from the perimeter and delicately offset to harness the exchange of outlook and togetherness.
Architecture and interior design by Studio Prineas. Build by Element Constructions.
- 项目文案：André Bankier-Perry
- 项目摄影：Felix Forest
- 摄影布景：Claire Delmar
- 转载自：The Local Project
- 图片@The Local Project
- 语言：英语
- 编辑：序赞网
- 阅读原文
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