MCK Architecture in Surry Hills, Australia, is known for its geometric forms and innovative use of materials, as one can easily see in their design for the Flipped House in the eastern suburbs of Sydney. The residence, home to a young family, integrates indoor/outdoor living to perfection. A 1960’s house has been replaced and reflected by a contemporary version of itself, with a focus that now engages as much on the surrounding garden as it does the panoramic CBD view. The original plan and massing were adapted + literally ‘flipped’ with garden elements to create a more expansive connection from inside to out. The house is stratified over three levels. The lower ground floor plinth is solid sandstone , the mid-level is timber, and the top floor is done in a lightweight cladding with render and paint. The bottom of the pool is a slate mosaic. The wall bordering the outer edge is constructed from a rather pedestrian material: concrete blocks typically used for structural walls. The decision to use them was influenced by the existing rear boundary fence, also built of concrete block, albeit a more ornate style. This new concrete block wall references the past, and allows for privacy as well as cross ventilation.
