Red Fern with FritsJurgens inside
The original form and materials of this former warehouse in Redfern, Sydney, Australia now form the basis of a family home. Ian Moore Architects designed the transformation and created comfortable, open spaces that retained their original industrial look by combining existing elements with modern and clean design.
True eye-catchers
The exposed trusses and brick walls are elements of the old warehouse and remain true eye-catchers. The house has a light and open design with airy spaces that create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. The walls even end at the same height as the trusses with glass above them, allowing natural light to flow through each room.
Open and clear
The different levels of the house have different functions. All domestic spaces are on the top floor where the kitchen, dining room and living room come together in a single large room where the original function of the house, the former warehouse, is still present in the brick walls. The large sliding glass doors open to the garden and create the feeling of an even larger open space.
Timeless quality
The basement is the least reminiscent of the former warehouse and houses a collection of classic sports cars. The materials used throughout the house were chosen based on their functionality and comfort. Elements with low maintenance and contrast with the original details of the architecture can therefore also be found in the basement. The FritsJurgens System One pivot door hinge is used in the pivoted entrance door. This hinge, like all FritsJurgens hinges, is maintenance-free. Extensive tests show that every FritsJurgens hinge still performs with the same perfection from day one after one million movements – that is equivalent to 136 years of daily use.
Hidden in the door
FritsJurgens hinges are used throughout the house, as always hidden in the door. As quoted by the architect, “New work is complementary but clearly distinguishable from original materials through the strict application of the concept of retention, recycling and enhancement of the original form and spaciousness of the warehouse. We also applied a series of sophisticated and elegant new elements to contrast and compliment the original, without the sentimental or nostalgic reinvention of the warehouse’s aesthetic.”
New perspective
Bright colors, like the orange element sofa in the living room, liven up the open spaces and make this place a true family home. The architect succeeded thanks to creating a design that did not reinvent the warehouse aesthetic in a sentimental or nostalgic way, but by offering a modern and sophisticated perspective on a metamorphosis such as this.
Photography: Rory Gardiner
