Hamilton House

Description

Set on a large hilltop in Sydney's premier suburb, the site commands spectacular views of the city skyline to the west and the opposite shoreline to the north. The current owners had previously lived on the site and their previous old house was demolished, maintaining a magnificent old Angophora tree in the centre of the entrance drive courtyard. The house is positioned behind the tree at the top of the site.

Solidity, the use of permanent materials, and luxuriously proportioned spaces set the keynote for the design of this three-story house. The essentially rectangular plan is surrounded by sumptuously curved forms, which respond to needs: balconies widen for outdoor furniture groups, the study "scoops in" more city views, and the focal spiral stair is lit from a circular roof dome. Over the entrance the roof projects in an S-shape horizontally and down vertically to give protection-its form mirrored in the two-story-high space inside, above the front doors.