LUXURY KITCHEN IN A HISTORIC AMBIENCE

A PIECE OF AUSTRALIAN HISTORY WAS REVEALED UNDER LAYERS OF PAINT FROM MULTIPLE RENOVATIONS TO A WOODEN HOUSE BY THE BEACH IN SYDNEY. THIS WAS TRANSFORMED INTO A UNIQUE BUILDING ENSEMBLE COMBINED WITH A MODERN EXTENSION. AT THE HEART: A LUXURIOUS KITCHEN OPEN TO ALL SIDES.

BORA has made a name for itself among architects and kitchen designers worldwide. The cooktop extractor systems can even be found ‘on the other side of the world’ in kitchens subject to high design standards. For example, in this house in Manly, Australia, with an extraordinary history dating back over 100 years. It was built as a semi in around 1900 by the Sly brothers, two fishermen regarded as the pioneers of the Australian lifesaving movement as they regularly dashed out of their cottages near the beach to stop people from drowning in the sea. This later developed into the country’s largest voluntary organisation: Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA). There are few people in Australia who would not recognise the lifesavers in their red and yellow bathing uniforms. The two inconspicuous timber-clad houses are therefore considered the cradle of the Australian beach culture. When the two current owners of the cottages decided to renovate the building after multiple previous owners and modifications, they wanted to preserve this link to the past while creating a contemporary living environment.

The team at Archisoul Architects was responsible for the redesign and restoration on behalf of both owners, who regarded the building’s renovation as a single project but had very different ideas with regard to design and home living requirements. This resulted in the creation of two different homes that share a historic façade on the street front. In contrast to the original, one of the buildings was given an extremely modern-looking, cubic extension with ample glazing overlooking the garden and the neighbouring building. The heart of the interior sits behind the glass façade along the side of the ground floor: a luxurious kitchen with a sleek design, bordered by the dining area on one side and the living room on the other. 

The kitchen is almost completely open: to the garden through the glass façades, to the upper floor via a glazed ceiling, which forms the floor of the office above, and naturally to the surrounding, open-plan living areas. The elongated, white kitchen island tailored to the geometry of the building acts as a central and connective point between the various living areas. In the middle is a BORA Classic cooktop with an integrated cooktop extractor, the streamlined design of which blends seamlessly into the glossy worktop. 

Thanks to the clearly structured, sleek interior, despite the limited space, the architects succeeded in creating a bright and open environment – not least because they used a downdraft BORA extractor. A conventional extractor hood suspended from the ceiling would quite simply have disrupted the open room symmetry and impeded people’s view. The BORA solution enables the owners to passionately cook in the stylish luxury kitchen with a clear view on all sides without cooking and frying odours drifting off around the house. As the BORA extractor is also extremely quiet, the owners can easily hold conversations while cooking – and possibly even tell their guests about the fascinating history of the cottage on the coast.