When we think of the influences that our practice has absorbed in this project, we cannot resist but think of the imperial temple "Katsura" in Japan.
This temple is constantly being rebuilt and so the crafting that comes with its making will never be lost but it sits beautifully in its landscape. Upper levels sitting strangely proud of lower levels enabling a horizontality that is read against its own persistent and obedient design forms. And the roof offers a large resistance to the sky with eaves that are clearly there for sheltering both the building itself and the people inside.
This ancient way of thinking is imposed onto an Australian site to make buildings that result in a directness with the landscape.
"Art is independent of all other expressions of human reason"
The staged Pindari development consists of 66 units and townhouses, located on an 8,000 square metre site in North Randwick. The development is made up of three distinct blocks, each occupying one corner of the L-shaped site, Block A and B are the second and final stage of a masterplan for the brownfield site. The respective blocks represent two types of multi-residential buildings, Block A contains 20 townhouses, whilst Block B is a multi unit flat building that contains 21 units.
The development of multi unit flat buildings in Sydney has traditionally been driven by one concern, that of monetary return. The design of these buildings was a facet of architecture that was considered too hard until the last decade when a number of architects started to produce important buildings which became models for sustainable city living.
