Plus Minus Design was established in 2007.
The focus of the practice is building design. We are not interested in specialising in particular building types, rather we’ve found that thinking through ideas at one scale can productively inform work at another. Projects to date have varied from garage lofts through to high-rise, tower developments and this range of scale and type reflects our breadth of design interest and experience.
Urban design, landscape design and interior design are subjects that are happy distractions. While we have skills in these areas, we understand the limits of our expertise and gladly propose and welcome collaborations with other design and construction professionals when appropriate.
We decided to call the practice Plus Minus Design for a whole bunch of reasons. Wikipedia, at times, defines plus-minus as “the precision of an approximation” and we like the sound of that. We like thinking about approximation and tolerance in building. Some times things need to be precise or luxurious, other times it is not so important. Our first priority and objective for each project is to find an appropriate response.
Phillip lectures frequently and has taught architectural design, history and interior design at the University of New South Wales, the University of Technology in Sydney and Western Sydney University. He is an Adjunct Professor at Western Sydney University.
Phillip is a registered architect in NSW (NSW ARB 10101) and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects.
20 Arthur Street
Surry Hills NSW 2010
Sydney, Australia
The story of this project is the story of the client. Michael is a 75-year-old polymath, retired businessman and restaurant critic for the Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC, and is simultaneously a recluse and a compulsive host.
A few years ago, Michael made the difficult decision to enjoy his twilight years living alone. He wanted a refuge where he could retreat to read, watch movies, cook, entertain and work his way through a carefully curated wine cellar.
He purchased a 1920s era apartment in Elizabeth Bay, an area he knows and loves. The apartment however did not meet his requirements. The second bedroom was too small to be useful, the kitchen was too big (“I don’t want to need roller skates to get from one part of the kitchen to the other”) and the colours and finishes too safe. Michael has a lifelong love of colour and was not interested in living in a generic white, grey and beige home.
The task was to transform an unremarkable 100-year-old apartment into a functional and vital space tailored to the needs of an elderly client who plans to age in place. This economical refurbishment combines programmatic adjustments and vibrant colour – creating a complex and nourishing interior, calibrated to Michael’s passions, moods and changing needs.
Layers of accreted plasterboard, trims and marble were stripped back to leave raw, uneven surfaces, and conduits and services exposed. The strategy was to rely on bold colours to unify the underlying building structure and material palimpsest reveal through demolition.
Small, closed rooms made the apartment stuffy. Cross ventilation was achieved by tweaking the plan. Removing two walls and relocating the kitchen to the second bedroom responded to Michael’s social desire for entertaining. Opening up the space has afforded long views connecting dining, kitchen, library, living and sunroom spaces. Rich colours lead the eye through a visually complex yet calm interior.
Artist and colour designer Lymesmith collaborated with Plus Minus Design to create the colour scheme. Michael’s passion for photography led to conversations about Saul Leiter’s saturated Kodachrome colours. Other colour references included Memphis design and Antonio da Messina’s painting of St. Jerome.
Darker zones always connect and afford views to lighter zones and brighter colours, without forced cheerfulness. The lighting design provided Michael further opportunity to discover and control mood and atmosphere.
Demolition revealed original details and roughly formed concrete that were incorporated into the design. New finishes are either robust (terrazzo and aluminium) or economical (low VOC paint, linoleum, laminate and melamine). Given a fixed income typical in retirement years, inexpensive finishes were prioritised.
New furnishing complemented legacy pieces, and include items by Gae Aulenti, Hermann Czech, Eileen Gray and Enzo Mari. Age important details include a sculptural rail in the bathroom and a plinth to raise the sofa.
Michael has recognised his requirements have changed and has taken the opportunity we should all have – to be able to curate our own dwelling spaces at all stages of life, including our later years.
Architecture and interiors, Plus Minus Design
Colour, Lymesmith
Builder, Bright Build Constructions
